la venaria reale every time, the wonder of beauty. · knights, mamluks and samurai the armor of...
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La Venaria Reale – Communication & Press Office Piazza della Repubblica 4 – 10078 Venaria Reale (Turin) - Italy – +39 011 4992300 –
[email protected] www.lavenaria.it
La Venaria Reale
Every time, the wonder of beauty.
Knights, Mamluks and Samurai The armor of warriors in the east and west
Rooms of the Arts, Reggia di Venaria From 25 October 2014 to 8 February
2015
La Venaria Reale – Communication & Press Office Piazza della Repubblica 4 – 10078 Venaria Reale (Turin) - Italy – +39 011 4992300 –
[email protected] www.lavenaria.it
THE EXHIBITIONS OF THE REGGIA DI VENARIA
La Venaria Reale – Communication & Press Office Piazza della Repubblica 4 – 10078 Venaria Reale (Turin) - Italy – +39 011 4992300 –
[email protected] www.lavenaria.it
Knights, Mamluks and Samurai The armor of warriors in the east and west From the collections of the Stibbert Museum in Florence Magnificent Italian, German, Islamic, Indian, Japanese and Islamic suits of armor from the 16th to the 19th century are presented here as art works to investigate the differences in customs, habits and social values between Europe, the Middle East, and Japan with the elegant Samurai. This rich display of Eastern and Western armor brings out similarities and differences between European knights and their stiffer, statuesque suits of armor, Middle-Eastern warriors wearing riveted chainmail and plates that protected vital body parts and ensured greater freedom of movement in battle, and the Japanese Samurai, whose defensive attires consisted of geometrical and evocative suits of armor. The display, that presents more than 100 pieces, also documents the painstaking work and constant research of craftsmen and artists of the time who invented new shapes and decorations for new weapons and war gear to meet the needs of evolving tastes and combat techniques. The exhibition also offers historical insights into "civilian" and "war" attires of the past that will provide to adults and children alike an opportunity to learn about peoples living great distances apart, from an unusual and spectacular point of view. Curated by Enrico Colle From the collections of the Stibbert Museum in Florence In collaboration with Armeria Reale di Torino WHERE Rooms of the Arts of the Reggia WHEN From 25 October 2014 to 8 February 2015 HOW Tickets and information: www.lavenaria.it - ph. +39 011 4992333
La Venaria Reale – Communication & Press Office Piazza della Repubblica 4 – 10078 Venaria Reale (Turin) - Italy – +39 011 4992300 –
[email protected] www.lavenaria.it
The exhibition at the Reggia di Venaria
The art of war has characterized large parts of human history and it was attributed powerful magical, alchemical, and religious values. Weapons have always symbolized strength and power and their engineering has always been accompanied by a constant search for better materials and for more beautiful decorations. It is no wonder that royal armories have always been a source of interests among European rulers and they were often collected and displayed as artworks, as was the case in Turin's Royal Armory (Armeria Reale). This rich display of Eastern and Western armor aims to bring out similarities and differences between three worlds: Europe, the Middle East and the Orient with the elegant Japanese Samurai. European warriors were accustomed to stiffer, statuesque suits of armor, while Middle-Eastern warriors typically wore riveted chainmail and plates that protected vital body parts and ensured greater freedom of movement in battle. The defensive attires of the Japanese Samurai consisted instead of fantastic geometrical and evocative suits of armor, to create the illusion of abstract human dimensions. All the suits of armor selected for this exhibition (including Italian, German, Islamic, Indian and particularly Japanese items) share the same taste for precious and delicate decorations, reconciling vanity and ornament with performance and functionality, like any other luxury product. A comparison of different items from the collections of the Stibbert Museum attests to their elegance and refinement. The display presents important historical and artistic pieces that span from the 16th to the 19th century and document the painstaking work of craftsmen and artists who were constantly struggling to create new decorations and more effective shapes. The exhibition aims to recreate the appeal of princely armories across Europe where ceremonial suits of armor were on show next to war attires used by distant populations from different but important cultures, presented with fascinating staging solutions. Interestingly, when Frederick Stibbert (1838-1906) he created his museum, he was inspired by the various armories that were found in royal palaces, most notably the Royal Armory of Savoy in Turin. Thus weapons and armor, like fashion creations, became a symbol of wealth and prestige: after all, in a sense, warriors did "dress to impress". Starting from this premise, the exhibition explores different civilian and war traditions to outline a sort of history of war customs that provides unusual and spectacular insights into the similarities and differences of such distant populations.
Enrico Colle, exhibition curator
La Venaria Reale – Communication & Press Office Piazza della Repubblica 4 – 10078 Venaria Reale (Turin) - Italy – +39 011 4992300 –
[email protected] www.lavenaria.it
ADMISSION
Admission to the exhibition is included in the ticket:
LA VENARIA REALE “TUTTO IN UNA REGGIA” (“All in a Palace”)
The ticket includes:
admission to Reggia, Gardens and exhibitions
10% discount at cafés, restaurants, bars and bookshop
Discount on Audiopen and regular guided tours
Discount ticket for Diana’s Arrow (Gardens’ train), Gondola on the pond, and Horse-drawn
carriage.
Price:
Full ticket: 25 euros
Family ticket discount: 1 euro for (up to 4) children aged 6 to 15, accompanied by 1 or 2 adults
who purchase the "All in a Palace" ticket Available only at the Reggia's Ticket Offices.
The ticket also includes any activities organized in the Reggia and the Gardens (Music at Court, exhibitions, Water Theater at the Fountain of the Stag).
No further discounts available.
KNIGHTS, MAMLUKS AND SAMURAI
Full price 12 euros
Discounted (groups of min.12 people, over 65, categories eligible for discounted tickets) 10 euros
Discounted age 6 to 21(children and teenagers aged 6 to 20) 6 euros
Schools (groups of min. 18 students, free admission for 2 teachers every 27 students) 3 euros
Children under the age of 6 and other categories eligible for free admission Free of charge
La Venaria Reale – Communication & Press Office Piazza della Repubblica 4 – 10078 Venaria Reale (Turin) - Italy – +39 011 4992300 –
[email protected] www.lavenaria.it
OPENING TIMES
Monday: closed (except public holidays, same opening times as Sunday. Closed on Christmas Day.)
Tuesday to Friday: from 9 to 17
Saturday, Sunday and holidays: from 9.30 to 19.30 Last admission 1 hour before closing time.
The Reggia and the exhibitions are open (same opening times as Sunday) on the following public holidays: New Year’s Day (January 1st, from 11.00), January 6, Easter and Easter Monday, Liberation Day (April 25), Labor Day (1 May), Feast of the Republic (June 2), August 15, All Saints’ Day (November 1), Feast of the Immaculate Conception (December 8), December 26. They are also open on St. Eusebius Day, Patron Saint of Venaria Reale (August 14th).The Reggia and the Exhibitions are closed on 24 and 25 December.
INFORMATION AND RESERVATIONS
ph. + 39 011 4992333 - www.lavenaria.it
La Venaria Reale – Communication & Press Office Piazza della Repubblica 4 – 10078 Venaria Reale (Turin) - Italy – +39 011 4992300 –
[email protected] www.lavenaria.it
LA VENARIA REALE
COMMUNICATION AND
PRESS OFFICE
Andrea Scaringella (Head) Matteo Fagiano
Maria Clementina Falletti
Cristina Negus
Carla Testore
ph. +39 011 4992300
www.lavenaria.it
La Venaria Reale – Communication & Press Office Piazza della Repubblica 4 – 10078 Venaria Reale (Turin) - Italy – +39 011 4992300 –
[email protected] www.lavenaria.it
Regality and the pleasure of living