Art Museum RIGA BOURSE

Palazzo Madama. Arts and Crafts in Italy, 6th–19th Century

From 22 May to 24 August 2025, in co-operation with the Turin City Museum of Ancient Art Palazzo Madama, as well as thanks to the support of the Boris and Ināra Teterev Foundation and the Embassy of the Italian Republic in Latvia, the Art Museum RIGA BOURSE in Riga (Doma laukums 6) presents an exhibition Palazzo Madama. Arts and Crafts in Italy, 6th–19th Centuries inviting to view more than one hundred brilliant examples of Italian decorative and applied art.

The extensive exhibition includes masterpieces from craft workshops and manufactories across various regions of Italy made between the 6th and 19th centuries, with a particular emphasis on the art of the late Middle Ages and the High Renaissance, housed in the collection of Palazzo Madama, the Museum of Ancient Art in Turin. Visitors will discover all the major Italian craftsmanship traditions – from the world-renowned Murano glass, Venetian enamels and Doge document covers, Renaissance bronzes and cameos to Lombard metalwork, Tuscan majolica, Neapolitan porcelain, textiles and lace, Piedmontese furniture, intricate carvings in wood, coral and ivory, and many other materials.

Professor Giovanni Carlo Federico Villa, Director of Palazzo Madama, notes: “Craftsmanship is the secret behind Italian creativity and genius. The exceptional skills and quality of execution have enabled great artists to elaborate works that have stood the test of time and captivated generations. Palazzo Madama, which holds a collection of 70,000 works and is one of the world’s largest applied arts collections, is highly pleased to engage in dialogue with the Art Museum RIGA BOURSE to produce an exhibition that, we hope, will delight Latvian audiences and strengthen the ties between our cultures.”

A selection of historical artifacts from Italy’s rich heritage, alongside individual pieces from the Foreign Art Collection of the Latvian National Museum of Art, is presented. Meanwhile, the museum’s Bose Hall hosts the exhibition Italian Majolica and Porcelain in the Collection of the Latvian National Museum of Art19th–20th Century. This section serves as a continuation of the exhibition Palazzo Madama: Italian Art and Craftsmanship, 6th–19th Centuries, tracing the evolution of majolica and porcelain production at the turn of the 19th–20th centuries and into the 20th century."

For the first time, the Latvian public will be able to see – both in person and virtually – the legendary book The Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors and Architects (1568 edition) by Giorgio Vasari (1511–1574), on loan from the Manuscript and Rare Book Department of the Library of the University of Latvia. Two unique Vasari volumes are demonstrated in the museum’s European Art Gallery.

A significant addition to the exposition are the descriptions and guides prepared by researchers from both Palazzo Madama and Art Museum RIGA BOURSE. These materials aim to help visitors navigate the history and specific features of different crafts and centers of craftsmanship. A comprehensive catalogue has also been published, serving both as an exhibition guide and a scholarly study on craft techniques, materials and the most important production centers. A broad programme of events will accompany the exhibition, beginning with Italy Day on 1 June.

The exhibition was created with the support of the Boris and Ināra Teterev Foundation and is part of its €1 million investment in major cultural events celebrating the Foundation’s 15th anniversary. The Art Museum RIGA BOURSE, together with the Boris and Ināra Teterev Foundation, have successfully implemented numerous exhibition projects, including Magnetism of Provence (2015), 12 Characters from the Prado Collection (2017), Advent, Christmas and Epiphany with PRADO (2024–2025), as well as Latvia’s first joint project with the Uffizi Gallery – an exhibition Self-Reflection. Tintoretto, Omar Galliani, Lorenzo Puglisi (2021).

“Projects involving serious long-term research and collaboration with international colleagues to create unique offerings specifically for Latvian audiences always bring the greatest satisfaction and public engagement. It often turns out that such projects are closely connected with the Boris and Ināra Teterev Foundation, as monumental endeavors also require substantial long-term investment. We are deeply grateful to the Foundation, because this anniversary-year initiative was truly an ambitious challenge, and together we made it happen,” emphasizes Daiga Upeniece, Head of the Art Museum RIGA BOURSE.