With support from the University of Richmond

History News Network

History News Network puts current events into historical perspective. Subscribe to our newsletter for new perspectives on the ways history continues to resonate in the present. Explore our archive of thousands of original op-eds and curated stories from around the web. Join us to learn more about the past, now.

Masterpieces adorn EU's 50th anniversary

ROME -- A collection of Europe's most representative artworks will be on display in Rome to mark the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Rome.

The treaty established the forerunner of the European Community, now part of the European Union.

The exhibition of works from the Stone Age to the 20th century is at Rome's Palazzo Quirinale, the official residence of Italian President Giorgio Napolitano, who asked the 27 European Union heads of state to each lend a "masterpiece that is emblematic of their history," ANSA said Wednesday.

The exhibit includes masters such as Turner, Titian, Velasquez and van Dyck. The earliest work is a Maltese Neolithic statue of a "Fat Lady," symbolizing motherhood and fertility, dating back to 3300-2500 BC.

Romania, Bulgaria and Cyprus contributed Byzantine works of art, while Italy and Germany lent paintings by Renaissance greats Titian and Durer, respectively...

The exhibit runs from Saturday through May 20.
Read entire article at UPI