Venice and Palazzo Fortuny celebrates in a unique exhibition the great woman who fascinated D’Annunzio and became the muse of the greatest artists of her time: the Marchesa Luisa Casati.
“
The Divine Marchesa. Art and Life of Luisa Casati from Belle Époque to spree years” is the first extraordinary exhibition dedicated entirely to
Luisa Casati Stampa, the woman who, at the beginning of the 20th century, through a exaggerated makeup, over-the-top performances and a transgressive lifestyle, transformed herself in a work of art, a living legend, an astonishing personification of modernity and avant-garde.
The exhibition, which has been conceived by
Daniela Ferretti, curated by
Fabio Benzi and
Gioia Mori, and coproduced by the
Fondazione Musei Civici di Venezia and
24 ORE Cultura – Gruppo 24 Ore, presents more than 100 works, not only paintings but also drawings, jewels, sculptures and photographs from private collections and international museums. There’s no better place in Venice than Palazzo Fortuny to host this incredible event, representing one of the most significant places in the Divine Marchesa’s life. Here,
Mariano Fortuny, together with
Paul Poiret,
Ertè and
Léon Backst, clothed her eccentric life.
The exhibition path and the researches published for the first time in the catalogue (thanks to 24 ORE Cultura) don’t show just her freak and eccentric side. On the other hand, they reveal a more artistic aspect of her life, retracing the lively activity as collector.
Just to mention some of the artists on display, you will have the chance to admire
Portrait of Marchesa Casati by
Léon Backst (1912) from the Centre Pompidou, the portrait with peacock plumes realised by
Giovanni Boldini from the Galleria Nazionale d’Arte Moderna (GNAM) in Rome and two full-sized paintings by
Alberto Martini from a French private collection, which reminds his works representing Cesare Borgia (1925) and a wild archer (1927).
Moreover, the exhibition hosts the photo taken by
Man Ray that has spread around Europe becoming a surrealist icon, keeping growing a legend that will never die.
Opening Times: 10am – 6pm
Closed on Monday
Tickets: 12€ full price