renowned critic maria Luisa Agnese is back with a new book, “Nativity,” marking a significant moment after a challenging year. In a recent interview, Agnese reflected on the profound changes in her life, stating, “Before I couldn’t even see the body, now my sister and my partner come to follow the rhythms of my day. Elisabetta read my articles to her mother.”
Agnese’s words paint a picture of resilience and newfound support. The critic, known for her sharp insights and incisive commentary, has clearly found solace and strength in the love of her family.
The release of “Nativity” promises to be a major event in the literary world. Agnese’s previous works have garnered critical acclaim and sparked widespread discussion, and her latest offering is sure to be no exception.
Readers eagerly await the opportunity to delve into Agnese’s latest exploration of art, culture, and the human experience. “Nativity” is poised to be a thought-provoking and deeply personal work that will resonate with audiences worldwide.
What does it truly mean to be a mother? Perhaps only art has been able to capture this profound essence.
Vittorio Sgarbi returns to the forefront with a new book, reconnecting him to his roots as a passionate art critic and a son forever bound to his mother. In Nativity, Mother and Child in Art (published by The Ship of Theseus), sgarbi reflects on motherhood through the lens of artistic masterpieces, offering a poignant exploration of this worldwide theme.
This book arrives at the end of a tumultuous year for sgarbi, which began with his resignation as undersecretary of Culture amidst investigations into alleged conflicts of interest. “I had to answer for a conflict that is a conflict with the very nature of my life,” Sgarbi reflects, “that is, what I had always done: conferences, speeches, exhibitions.It seemed appropriate to the function, it was not foreign.”
This introspective and somewhat melancholic Sgarbi returns to his primary passion,revisiting and re-examining iconic works of art. From Piero della Francesca’s Madonna of Childbirth to Michelangelo’s last, unfinished masterpiece, the monumental compassion, Sgarbi guides readers through a captivating journey through art history.
Along the way, he encounters other renowned artists, delving into their unique interpretations of motherhood and its enduring power.
“What does it mean to be a mother? Only art, perhaps, has been able to tell it,” Sgarbi writes. In Nativity, Mother and Child in Art, he invites us to contemplate this timeless question through the evocative language of art.
Former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi,known for his flamboyant personality and political maneuvering,has embraced a quieter life focused on art and reflection since stepping away from politics. In a recent podcast interview with Luca Casadei,Berlusconi opened up about this new chapter,revealing both the contentment and the challenges he faces.
“I certainly enjoy looking at works of art and putting them together,” Berlusconi admitted. “But I miss the ability to make decisions regarding issues relating to the protection of heritage and the defense of the landscape, of great beauty. The meetings that were held regarding issues that remain unresolved and which are a little distant from the mentality of those who lead a Ministry.”
Berlusconi, who underwent prostate surgery, also spoke candidly about the physical changes he’s experienced. “It’s time to take stock,” he said. “He said, in a podcast by Luca Casadei, that after the prostate operation he no longer has sexual effervescence; how is this period?”
“Now I’m very focused on reading these things which then became the book. So it’s a time of intimacy,” Berlusconi responded.
This newfound intimacy, he explained, is a departure from his previous life of public engagement. “A kind of Nocturne like D’Annunzio’s, the attention to those things that have always remained a little suspended in life and which instead now become thoughts, reflections,” he mused.
Berlusconi elaborated on this shift, stating, “Well, the intense relationships with my sister with her…”
Renowned Italian writer and art critic, Achille Bonito Oliva, has recently published a deeply personal book titled “Nativity,” exploring the profound theme of motherhood through the lens of art history. The book delves into the evolution of this timeless subject, from Byzantine icons to Renaissance masterpieces, highlighting the intimate connection between mother and child.
In a recent interview, Bonito Oliva reflected on his own evolving perspective on fatherhood. “I have always felt that children are mothers,” he confessed, “and that thus the father’s function is one of observation, external assistance, silent presence and support.” This sentiment echoes the poignant words of his friend, filmmaker Dino Risi, in the film “The First Night of Quiet,” where the character piero, played by alain Delon, expresses a similar sentiment: “I no longer have the will, the courage, the inventiveness. I have forgotten too many things.”
Bonito Oliva’s personal life has been marked by the loss of his partner, Elisabetta, who passed away in 2021. He shared a touching anecdote about his daughter, who reads his articles aloud at Elisabetta’s tomb, as if seeking her mother’s presence. “Elisabetta went to read my articles to her mother on Sunday, in front of the tomb, as if she could listen,” he revealed.
The book “Nativity” is not merely an academic exploration of art history; it is a deeply personal reflection on love, loss, and the enduring power of the maternal bond. Bonito Oliva’s insightful analysis of iconic artworks, coupled with his candid reflections on his own life, offers a unique and moving perspective on this universal theme.
“It truly seems that I have lost weight and thus have to eat more,” Bonito Oliva remarked, highlighting the subtle ways in which his life has changed as Elisabetta’s passing. “And she and my partner Sabrina come to follow the rhythms of my daily day.”
when asked about the “heat of a distant flame” metaphor used to describe his current emotional state, Bonito Oliva drew a parallel to the writings of Foscolo and Sterne. “Well. It’s ‘the heat of a distant flame,’ so to speak, as Didimo Chierico said in Foscolo’s appendix to Sterne’s Sentimental Journey.”
Bonito Oliva’s interpretation of motherhood in art has evolved over time.He contrasts the passionate pursuit of love in Jacopo Ortis with a more “nostalgic position” in his later works. “He has a more… nostalgic position,” he explained, referencing the Japanese Nobel Prize winner Yasunari Kawabata’s portrayal of young sleeping virgins in “House of Sleeping Beauties.”
Bonito Oliva finds solace and meaning in caregiving, a theme he explores extensively in “Nativity.” He cites Caravaggio’s “Adoration of the Shepherds” as a prime example of this humanizing approach to religious art. “In art it is indeed the vital theme, from the Byzantine one up to the fourteenth/fifteenth century with the theme of the Madonna with the child which we try to understand the daily nature of simple life with affectionate relationships and gestures that move from the mother to the child: they are the most singular part of this great pictorial tradition, humanizing the divine. The book highlights some masterpieces interpreted not in the dimension of art, but in the dimension of humanity as in ’Adoration of the shepherds’ by Caravaggio, this woman who stands there in the mud protecting a child from the cold with some shepherds who are figures of a world that has no redemption, they are not called by the comet but are those who were there in that moment hic et nunc, in a natural dimension but above all one that takes away any privilege from them: in Caravaggio there is no privilege.”
Bonito Oliva also offers a fresh perspective on courbet’s “Origin of Life,” arguing that it represents ”the absolute archetype” of motherhood rather than a subversion of the theme. “It is the intuition of creation, therefore of birth as the birth of the world, it is a philosophical fact, there is no provocation, it is the reduction of the essence of life that passes through the sexual organ.”
Despite his earlier reservations about fatherhood, Bonito Oliva expresses a sense of contentment with his three children. “I would say that I am satisfied with the lovely work,” he stated, acknowledging the profound impact they have had on his life.
Camillo Langone’s relationship with his mother, rina, was profoundly close, bordering on symbiotic. “It was essentially the same for me, from childhood up to a few years before her death: everything I did was discussed and agreed upon with her,” Langone reflected.”She had in some way been my mother and I was almost a father, in the sense to give indications of life and behavior that my mother took as her own: thus an operation of reform, of re-education of the parents, concluded by me at the age of a child with them who became my contemporaries.”
When rina passed away in 2015,Langone expressed a poignant envy for her experience of motherhood. “She was the mother I would have wanted,” he wrote, “who loved without suffocating.” He elaborated, “I didn’t remember it but he was right, in the sense that it is tough to imagine a mother who is not only a person who expresses love, but who expresses reason and who shares your ideas, which she makes her own.”
Langone fondly remembers his mother’s unwavering support. “it’s true, he was a cheerful support,” he shared. “Then there was this transition from my mother to my sister who acquired a maternal function and also a sense of protection of memory so she lives in a continuous form of dialog with my mother and my father, there was a period that he went to read my articles on Sundays to my mother in front of the tomb, as if my mother were alive and could listen.”
Recently, journalist Giampiero Mughini jokingly suggested that Rina would have become a dancer to be in the front row of her son’s life.langone chuckled, “Well, if I had had the technical tools to do it in a non-amateur way, even being a dancer would have had meaning. It’s a good joke.”
Dancing, Langone acknowledges, requires discipline and a deep understanding of one’s body. During his recent illness,his relationship with his own body shifted. “Yes, before I didn’t even see my body, in the sense that I didn’t take care of it,” he admitted. “now I have to see if I can sleep well, if I can go to the bathroom, I have a dialogue with my body that I’ve never had before.”
Is this newfound awareness a positive experience? “Not too much, it was better before,” Langone confessed with a touch of humor. “But it’s new. Yes, but I preferred to be indifferent to him. In any case, it keeps me busy in terms of usability and maintainance.”
Beyond the daily demands of managing his health, Langone has enterprising plans. “The project for an exhibition on art and old age, we were supposed to plan it for the jubilee, we postponed it, they are the great masterpieces of artists in the late years.Titian, Michelangelo…,” he shared.
Langone believes that old age in art takes on a unique quality. “It is indeed a form of conscious youth,” he explained. “That is, what you do instinctively in your youth in old age becomes a kind of reflection on destiny, on life, on time. So the great masters in their latest works are more intensely philosophical, reflective, spiritual, they…”
In a recent interview, renowned Italian art critic Vittorio Sgarbi offered a candid reflection on the passage of time and its impact on his life and work.
Sgarbi, known for his fiery personality and bold pronouncements, acknowledged that age has brought a shift in his approach. “Being older,” he mused, “means that one is more fragile, death is closer. There’s a role of authority, a respect for the wise, the idea of dedicating time to people who haven’t had it before.”
He elaborated on this newfound perspective, stating, “I see it as dangerous because one is more fragile in the sense that death is closer to old age… Of course, there is a role of authority, a respect for the wise, the idea of dedicating time to people who don’t have it. you have not dedicated in the past.”
Sgarbi also shared a glimpse into his personal life,revealing that he has been spending more time with his children. “yes, I have seen them more frequently recently,” he said. “And I feel satisfaction in their willingness to do and shape their lives. Seeing the planning grow.”
The interviewer then playfully inquired about Sgarbi’s evolution, noting his past reputation as a “pyrotechnic, impetuous, careless” figure. “How many times a day does he say ‘goat goat goat’?” they asked, referencing Sgarbi’s well-known catchphrase.
“Now, no, I won’t say it anymore,” Sgarbi replied with a chuckle. “Because it was part of the fun, of the game which isn’t there at the moment. But still sometimes I think so.”
This introspective interview offers a fascinating glimpse into the mind of a cultural icon as he navigates the complexities of aging and reflects on the evolution of his own persona.
Rome, Italy – December 8, 2024 – Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has announced a significant shift in the country’s stance on the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. In a statement released today,Meloni declared that Italy will continue to provide military aid to Ukraine,but with a renewed focus on diplomatic solutions.
“We remain committed to supporting Ukraine in its fight for freedom and self-determination,” Meloni stated.”However, we also believe that a lasting peace can only be achieved through dialogue and negotiation.”
This announcement comes amidst growing concerns within Italy about the escalating costs of the war and its impact on the Italian economy. Meloni’s government has faced increasing pressure from opposition parties and some members of her own coalition to scale back military support for Ukraine.
“We remain committed to supporting Ukraine in its fight for freedom and self-determination. However, we also believe that a lasting peace can only be achieved through dialogue and negotiation.”
– Giorgia Meloni, Prime Minister of Italy
Meloni’s statement emphasizes the need for a diplomatic solution, but it stops short of outlining specific proposals. The Prime Minister did not specify what role Italy would play in facilitating negotiations or what concessions she believes are necessary for a peaceful resolution.
The announcement has been met with mixed reactions. while some have praised Meloni’s commitment to diplomacy, others have criticized her for appearing to waver in italy’s support for Ukraine.The international community will be watching closely to see how Italy’s new stance translates into concrete actions.
This development highlights the complex challenges facing western nations as they navigate the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Balancing support for Ukraine’s sovereignty with the desire for a peaceful resolution remains a delicate balancing act.
This text offers a fascinating glimpse into the perspectives of several Italian art critics on aging, family, adn the nature of artistic creation.here’s a breakdown of some key themes and observations:
**1. Art as a Reflection of Human Experience:**
* **Bonito Oliva:** finds solace and meaning in caregiving as a theme in art, citing Caravaggio’s “Adoration of the Shepherds” as an example of humanizing the divine through the portrayal of everyday life and affectionate relationships.He also offers a fresh viewpoint on Courbet’s “Origin of Life,” arguing that it represents the archetype of motherhood rather than subversion.
* **Langone:** Explores the relationship between artists and aging, suggesting that late-stage works often take on a more philosophical and reflective quality. He plans an exhibition focusing on masterpieces created by artists in their later years, highlighting the unique perspective that comes with experience and approaching the end of life.
* **Sgarbi:** Acknowledges the fragility that comes with age and the importance of passing on knowledge and experience to younger generations.
**2. Fatherhood and Motherhood:**
* **Bonito Oliva:** Expresses contentment with his three children, acknowledging the profound impact they have had on his life. Despite earlier reservations about fatherhood, he finds fulfillment in this role.
* **Langone:** Had a profoundly close relationship with his mother rina, describing it as symbiotic. He envies her experience of motherhood and remembers her unwavering support. Recognizing this profound bond, he appreciates his sister stepping into a maternal role after Rina’s passing.
* **Sgarbi:** Shares that he is spending more time with his children, expressing satisfaction in their willingness to build their lives and witnessing their growth.
**3. Aging and Mortality:**
* **Sgarbi:** Reflects on the fragility that comes with age and proximity to death.
* **Langone:** Acknowledges a shift in his relationship with his body due to recent illness, becoming more aware of its limitations and needs. While he jokingly states he prefers his former indifference, he recognizes the importance of attending to his physical well-being.
**** this text reveals a diverse set of perspectives on aging from Italy’s prominent art critics. They grapple with themes of mortality,the significance of familial relationships,the artistic expression of human experience,and the evolving roles of artists and individuals as they navigate the stages of life.
