“Presented by arte italia, through its relationship with New York-based Foundation for Italian Art & Culture, Titian’s Renaissance masterpiece painting La Bella: Woman in a Blue Dress will be exhibited in the Museum’s E. L. Wiegand Gallery. An expanded exhibition of Titian’s life and art is on view through Titian’s Venice at arte italia located at 442 Flint Street.

The most celebrated artist in Renaissance Venice, Titian is unsurpassed as a portrait painter and member of the 16 Century Venetian School. One of his most iconic artworks is the single masterpiece popularly known as La Bella,  the beautiful woman. The luminous painting is a classic portrait of a beautiful woman in a magnificent dress and luxurious accessories of the day. La Bella’s blue gown is accented with gold embroidery with ruffles at the neckline and cuffs, and gold, ruby, and pearl jewelry accents her elegant presentation.

The painting was first commissioned by Francesco Maria I della Rovere, Duke of Urbino, a mercenary military leader. In 1536, the duke sent a letter to his agent in Venice inquiring about the progress of “”that portrait of that woman in a blue dress,”” whose completion he eagerly awaited. The painting in question was doubtless La Bella, which is today in the collection of the Galleria Palatina in Florence. The canvas has been cleaned recently, and the removal of discolored varnish has revealed the splendor of the woman’s blue dress and the luminosity of her flesh.

In 2010, the Museum featured Raphael: The Woman with the Veil and with La Bella visitors can continue their exploration of Italian Renaissance masterpieces.

This exhibition is made possible by the Foundation for Italian Art & Culture.

Sponsor

E. L. Wiegand Foundation

Founded in Reno, NV and operated by the E. L. Wiegand Foundation, arte italia promotes the exploration and conservation of Italian culture, including innovative exhibitions of classic Italian art and culinary programs featuring renowned Italian chefs.

The exhibition tour was organized by the Kimbell Art Museum in collaboration with the Nevada Museum of Art and the Portland Art Museum.”

In celebration of 150 years of statehood, the Nevada Museum of Art honors the “Battle Born” state with a significant exhibition detailing the journey toward October 31, 1864. This special show features historic treasures from our nation’s capital, including a special Nevada Day Weekend presentation of the original Emancipation Proclamation signed by President Abraham Lincoln, on loan from the National Archives in Washington, D.C. The document will be on view for a limited number of hours October 30 through November 2. Also on exhibit are Timothy O’ Sullivan photographs, historical Nevada objects, and statehood documents on loan from important regional museums.

Each of three galleries on the Museum’s second floor houses a unique combination of significant objects telling the story of Nevada’s journey to statehood. Highlights include: the 175-page transcription of Nevada’s State Constitution that was sent from Territorial Governor James Nye to Abraham Lincoln via telegram—the longest telegram at that time which cost nearly $60,000 to send (in today’s dollars); the original copy of the Nevada State Constitution, typically held in storage at the Nevada State Library and Archives in Carson City; never-before-displayed Civil War-era muster rolls of the Nevada Volunteers; artifacts belonging to Nevada’s first governor Henry G. Blasdel and Captain Joseph Stewart, commander of Nevada’s Fort Churchill; as well as the historic Austin Flour Sack used to raise money for the troops during the Civil War.

Two sets of original Timothy O’Sullivan photographs on loan from the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., bookend the exhibition. Highlights include O’Sullivan’s famous photograph Dead Soldiers on the Battlefield at Gettsysburg from 1863, as well as over 20 Nevada photographs taken by O’Sullivan in 1867 as part of Clarence King’s government-sponsored Geological Exploration of the Fortieth Parallel. This is the first time these historic O’Sullivan images of Nevada have been shown in the state. The exhibition includes items on loan from the Nevada State Museum, the Nevada State Library and Archives, the Nevada Historical Society, the Library of Congress, Washington D.C., and the National Archives, Washington, D.C.

View the original Emancipation Proclamation, on loan from the National Archives, Washington, DC

Thursday, October 30, 2014 / 10 am – 7 pm
Friday, October 31, 2014 / 10 am – 5 pm
Saturday, November 1, 2014 / 10 am – 5 pm
Sunday, November 2, 2014 / 10 am – 5 pm

Exclusive sponsor

E. L. Wiegand Foundation

Media support

KTVN Channel 2 News and KUNR Reno Public Radio

Imagine Florence, Italy in the late sixteenth century. A city in love with art, Florence teemed with color, science, and awe-inspiring paintings. Italian Baroque: Paintings from the Haukohl Family Collection invites you to feel the period come alive as you immerse yourself in more than 20 breathtaking paintings. Intensified by deep, rich color and the brilliant use of shadows, each dramatic work is enveloped by a finely detailed golden frame. This historic exhibition continues at neighboring arte italia, where educational and sculptural components complete the Baroque experience. Made possible by Sir Mark Fehrs Haukohl, a patron of the arts who lives in Houston, Texas, the show is drawn from the largest private collection of Florentine Baroque painting in the United States and other countries outside of Italy.

Exclusive sponsor

E.L. Wiegand Foundation

ITALIAN BAROQUE PRESS RELEASE