Bird-beaked masks
During the Black Death of 1347 to 1352, doctors wore bird-beaked masks filled with various herbs that were designed to protect the wearer from breathing poisoned air – or so we have been led to believe.
Veneto
The Rovigo Egyptian collection
Simone Petacchi describes an important Egyptian collection in Rovigo, Italy, that is not on public display.
Bombing Venice: The Allied attack on one of the world’s most beloved cities
In a new book, Jonathan Glancey tells the inside story of Operation Bowler, the audacious WWII plan to destroy German strategic outposts around Venice’s port, while leaving the legendary city unscathed.
Ancient Egypt October listings
EGYPT: JOURNEY TO IMMORTALITY An exhibition telling the story of the journey to the afterlife through 110 masterpieces from the Egyptian Museum of Florence (National Museum of Archaeology). Highlights include the mummy and sarcophagus of Padimut, a ‘pseudo-mummy’ of a…
Maps that tell a story
When Venice features in the media, the story is usually about the malign consequences of flooding, cruise ships, and tourism, which crowds out more positive news, like the development of the Venice Time Machine, due to be showcased at this year’s European Association of Archaeologists conference in Rome.
Views of the past at the 59th Venice Biennale
A number of the national pavilions artists are drawing on ancient culture and themes from the past.
Recognising historic landscapes
The idea that there was no pre-existing Roman settlement on the site of medieval Venice is hard to credit when you realise that the Italian peninsula was heavily populated under the Roman Empire
News in brief: Roman frescoes and goddesses
A round-up the latest news in the world of Art History, including the discovery of Roman frescoes in a former Cinema in Verona, and the Louvre's acquisition of an important watercolour work.
News in brief: Italy, Persia, North America
Late Neanderthal tooth Investigation into a canine tooth found at Riparo Broion, a rock shelter in Vicenza, north-eastern Italy, has revealed that it may represent an important piece of direct evidence for late Neanderthal occupation in the area. The tooth…
Before the flood
The study found that 37 of the 49 World Heritage Sites are already at risk from floods, and 42 from erosion, although the level of risk varies from site to site, with Venice and Ravenna particularly at risk from flooding, and Samos and Tyre from erosion
The fabulous Mariano Fortuny
Fortuny’s designs were hugely successful among the fashionable elite of the early 20th century, and admired by intellectuals and femmes du monde alike.