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At the beginning of the 16th century Niccolò di Tommaso Antinori began the fortunes of this historic family, one of the most famous wine producers in Italy.

It was he who commissioned Giovanni della Robbia (Florence, 1469-1529/30) to create the lunette featuring the “Resurrection of Christ”.

The lunette was intended to decorate Villa Le Rose , the country residence just outside Florence, where wine was already being produced at the time.

This masterpiece of the Italian Renaissance, now owned by the Brooklyn Museum of Art of New York, is making its way back to Florence after 120 years.

Giovanni della Robbia (Florence, 1469-1529/30) the lunettethe “Resurrection of Christ”

It will be shown to the public in all its splendour, at the Bargello Museum in Florence from 10th November 2017 until April 8th 2018.

Marchesi Antinori backed the restoration of the piece, 500 years after the commission, carrying on a tradition of patronage that spans the centuries and still carries on today.

To celebrate the extraordinary return of the lunette, and its exhibition in the “cradle of the Renaissance” alongside works by Michelangelo, Donatello and the same Della Robbia, the Florentine family continues its long tradition of “patrons of the arts” with a new commission.

A work by internationally renowned contemporary artist Stefano Arienti will be displayed together with the Della Robbia lunette – in two separate but interconnected rooms – creating an intriguing dialogue between the past and the present.

This new artwork represents continuity for the Antinori family, which has always linked its name to excellence in wine production and patronage of the arts.

Concurrently with the Bargello exhibit, in the futuristic Antinori cellar in the Chianti Classico region, another site-specific installation of Arienti is displayed.

It’s inspired by the lunette of Della Robbia, and it will form part of the family’s collection, creating a constant dialogue with history.

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