From May 22 to August 24, the Art Museum RĪGAS BIRŽA will host a significant cultural project resulting from Latvian-Italian collaboration – the exhibition "Palazzo Madama. Arts and Crafts in Italy, 6th - 19th Century" supported by The Boris and Ināra Teterev Foundation. The exhibition features masterpieces from the collection of the Palazzo Madama Museum in Turin.
The display includes over a hundred decorative and applied arts masterpieces from the Palazzo Madama Museum’s collection, created between the 6th and 19th centuries. It showcases outstanding works from workshops and manufactories across Italy, offering a broad insight into the craftsmanship and ingenuity of Italian artisans. The selection features Murano glass, Venetian enameled vessels, Renaissance bronzes from the Venice region, furniture and wrought ironworks from Lombardy, majolica from Central Italy, porcelain, textiles and lace, microcarvings in wood and ivory, and decorative book bindings.
However, the central focus of the exhibition is the always-admired Renaissance art of the 15th and 16th centuries. This exhibition will illustrate why so many European countries, century after century, have been influenced by Italian art—either by imitating it or seeking to acquire pieces for their collections.
The exhibition is made possible by the support of The Boris and Ināra Teterev Foundation and is part of a €1 million investment in major cultural events marking the foundation’s 15th anniversary. The Art Museum RĪGAS BIRŽA, in collaboration with the foundation, has successfully realized numerous exhibition projects, including "The Charm of Provence" (2015), "PRADO: 12 Characters" (2017), "Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany with PRADO" (2024–2025), and Latvia’s first collaboration with the Uffizi Gallery – the exhibition "Self-Revelation: Tintoretto, Omar Galliani, Lorenzo Puglisi" (2021).
The exhibition "Palazzo Madama. Arts and Crafts in Italy, 6th - 19th Century" was initiated by the Embassy of the Italian Republic in Riga. The project managers are Daiga Upeniece and Elisabetta Rabajoli, the exhibition's scenographer is Reinis Suhanovs, and the chief editor of the exhibition catalog is Dr. art. Silvija Grosa.
