By Anna Finocchi, Francesco Federico Mancini, Antonio Sgamellotti
The Ancient Seat of the Money Changers’ Guild of Perugia has organized two important exhibitions. The first was in 2013, entitled Perugino and Raphael. Noble models for Sassoferrato at Perugia curated by Francesco Federico Mancini and Antonio Natali. The second one, entitled Velasquez and Bernini was in 2017. Self-portraits on display at the Money Changers’ Guild, curated by Francesco Federico Mancini) wishes to organise, for the period 19th October – 15th December 2019, a commemorative exhibition dedicated to the painter Federico Faruffini, born in Sesto San Giovanni on 12 August 1833 and committed suicide on 15th December 1869 in Perugia.
On the occasion of the 150th anniversary of his death, the artist is remembered with a selection of works related to the place where the Lombard master chose to spend the last months of his short and unfortunate existence.
As in the previous exhibitions, where the Self-portraits of Raphael, Sassoferrato, Bernini and Velasquez, were placed in “dialogue” with the self-portrait of Pietro Perugino painted on the long part of the Audience Hall, this time it will be the beautiful Self-portrait of Faruffini, housed at the National Academy of Saint Luke in Rome, to “confront” the face of the great Renaissance painter.
There will also be paintings by the Lombard master directly related to the exhibition venue, namely the two sketches preserved at the Civic Museum of Pavia, representing the interior of the Audience Hall and the interior of St. John’s Chapel, as well as the study, still representing the Audience Hall, owned by the Poldi Pezzoli Museum in Milan.