Taking Michelangelo’s experience in the Versilia region as a starting point, the four Cities - – Pietrasanta, Seravezza, Forte dei Marmi and Stazzema –  cast light on the artistic and cultural traditions that share in common, which origin ties up to the centuries-old activity of extraction and manufacture of marble. “Michelangelo and Versilia” proposes the presentation of three original drawings by Michelangelo, loaned by the Casa Buonarroti Museum. The Maestro, once arrived at the Versilia quarries at the beginning of the 16th century, started to extract the marbles to send to Florence for creating his works, having them transported from the mountains of Stazzema and Seravezza until the maritime boarding along the way that he wanted, after which construction originated the town of Forte dei Marmi. In this regard, it is shown a wide panel description on the history of “The Way of Marbles”, which passing through the territories of the four Cities, unify them exalting the respective characteristics.


As evidence of the prosecution of the artistic manufacture until our days and in consideration of the historical-artistic importance of the Museo dei Bozzetti of Pietrasanta and of the identity value, that it represents for the Versilia territory as well as for its vocation to sculpture, it has been asked to some of the most important sculptors who carried or still carry out their artistic activity in Versilia of participating in this initiative by loaning a maquette and, when possible, the related finished artwork. Its result is here evident with the Sculpture in Suitcase exhibition.


Emphasis to the theme of manufacture and working of marbles, bronzes, mosaics, and other materials is furthermore given through films and photographs concerning the artisan workshops. In particular, are exhibited the images of Polish photographer Henryk Hetflaisz, which have been already shown in “Homo Faber” in 2013. Present the territory also a film on Seravezza prepared on purpose and a video-documentary on the manufacture in the artisan laboratories.


The many-centuried tradition of extraction and manufacture of stony materials, which generated excellent skilled workers, whose collaboration is today requested by artists from all over the world for the marble, bronze, and mosaic realizations, is also testified by the works presented by the Artigianart Association and the Cosmave Consortium, here exhibited with a group of selected companies

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The “Michelangelo and Versilia” initiative has been possible thanks to the generous contribution and collaboration of the Banca del Monte di Lucca Foundation, of the Savema Company S.p.A. of Pietrasanta and of the MSC Company of New York, to all of which goes a warm thanks from all of the organizers.


Grom December 4 2014 to January 4 2015 at the Italian Cultural Institute in New York