Bridgeman is excited to be launching a new Italian office this year. To celebrate, we thought we’d revel in all the cultural gems of Italy, from artistic masterpieces to travel inspirations. Perhaps you might even be able to fit in a spontaneous trip there this summer…
Italy’s twenty regions feel more like twenty independent states, each with their own traditions, dialects, architecture and glorious food. This little boot-shaped country is incomparable in all the diverse and seductive choices it offers, not to mention that it has more UNESCO World Heritage sites than anywhere else in the world.
Map of Italy, 1631 by Johannes Blaeu based on a map by Giovanni Antonio Magini (d. 1617). / Photo © Granger
This European virtuoso groans under the weight of its artistic and historical treasures. It is only in Italy that you can stand in the overwhelming presence of Michelangelo‘s David and Sistine Chapel frescoes, Botticelli‘s Birth of Venus and Primavera and da Vinci‘s The Last Supper. The art wonders know no abounds!
The Birth of Venus, c.1485 (tempera on canvas), Sandro (Alessandro di Mariano di Vanni Filipepi) Botticelli (1444/5-1510) / Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence, Italy
Italy was the centre of the Roman Empire and birthplace of the Renaissance. There is still a vast amount of architectural feats to gawk at, from the impressive Colosseums to the leaning Tower of Pisa, which sinks into the ground 1mm every year. If you don’t get a photo of yourself pretending to push the building over, have you even travelled?! Walk in the footsteps of gladiators in Pompeii, bask in Ravenna’s glittering Byzantine gems or become breathless in the face of Giotto‘s revolutionary frescoes in Assisi and Padua. There’s something special around every corner.
Roman Capriccio Showing the Colosseum, Borghese Warrior, Trajan’s Column, the Dying Gaul, Tomb of Cestius, Arch of Constantine and the Temple of Castor and Pollux, Pannini or Panini, Giovanni Paolo (1691/2-1765) / Maidstone Museum and Art Gallery, Kent, UK
Italian cuisine is arguably one of the most popular in the world, typically renowned for the quality of its ingredients rather than the complexity of the food. It has influenced cuisines from around the world, particularly that of the United States. An Italian meal offers an abundance of taste, with rich tomato sauces, flavoursome cheese and an array of aromatic meat and fish dishes. Enjoy it all with a sophisticated glass of wine to accompany your degustation. Just thinking about it makes us hungry! Tip – be careful when ordering a pepperoni pizza in Italy; the word ‘peperoni’ actually means peppers in Italian; they refer to the meat as ‘salame’.
Cava de’ Tirreni, 1816 (oil on canvas), Prosper-Francois-Irenee Barrigues (1760-1850) / Musee des Beaux-Arts, Marseille, France
Italy’s beauty extends beyond its galleries and famous architectural landmarks. The country is one of Mother Nature’s biggest pride and joys, with an extraordinary natural diversity that few others can match. With the breathtaking icy Alps in the north and the fiery craters and mesmerising grottos in the south, this is a place brimming with endless things to see and do. Ski down Courmayeur’s powdery slopes, dive in coral-studded Campanian waters or gallop across the marshes of the Maremma. Have you booked your flight yet?
Go on, indulge in a little vita all’italiana (life, Italian style), where life effortlessly intermingles with art. As home to many of the great names in fashion, Italy has long established itself as a destination of luxury, class and beauty. Head to the extravagant Finance and Fashion Capital, Milan, to stock up on your Prada, Missoni, Gucci, Moschino, Versace, Armani, Ferragamo and more.
Rainier III and Grace Kelly visiting Rome, Italy, 1959 (b/w photo) / Reporters Associati & Archivi / Mondadori Portfolio
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Contact alessandro.conficoni@bridgemanimages.com for queries about the Italian office or check out the new Italian site.