Various museums are planning digital events on social networks to celebrate the seven hundred years since the death of the Supreme Poet, one of the most important and recognized symbols of Italian culture.
Here are all the planned events in detail:
Musei garibaldini of Caprera
The juxtaposition of Giuseppe Garibaldi, hero of National Unity, and Dante Alighieri, the very symbol of the country’s unity, is for the Musei Garibaldini, the connection with the celebrations of the 700th anniversary of the death of the Supreme Poet. It should not come as a surprise that the chosen date to begin the celebrations on Caprera will be the 17th of March, the day that marks the 160th anniversary of the Unification of Italy. Dante and his dreams of patriotic unity will be remembered through digital content, drawing inspiration from a verse on a plaque in the Compendio Garibaldino, written by another illustrious poet, Gabriele D’Annunzio in the poem dedicated to Garibaldi La notte di Caprera, which reads “Più alto sogno in Dante non salì”(“Not even Dante coveted such high dreams”), connecting the extraordinary life of the Hero of the Two Worlds with the exceptional inventiveness and wisdom of the Florentine poet. Furthermore, the Musei Garibaldini will exhibit a very precious edition of the Divine Comedy from Giuseppe Garibaldi’s book collection, which dates back to 1869. The volume is enriched with hundreds of black and white prints, created by Gustave Dorè, one of the most famous French artists and engravers of the nineteenth century. It was among the works most appreciated by the General, and perhaps one of the last books he looked at. It is said that on the day of his death, June 2, 1882, the Divine Comedy was next to his bed. Also part of the library on Caprera are some volumes dedicated to the Supreme Poet, written by scholars, contemporaries of the Hero, who sent their books to him on the Island. Of particular interest is one by Filippo Zamboni, poet and passionate scholar of Dante, who, during his younger years, participated in the defense of the Roman Republic in 1849 with Garibaldi. Also displayed inside the White House is a painting from an episode of Dante’s Purgatory depicting Virgil, Dante, and Cato the Uticense on the Ante-Purgatory beach. The author himself donated the painting to Garibaldi in 1863. The books written by scholars of Dante will be exhibited inside the White House, and the Divine Comedy illustrated by Gustave Dorè will be placed next to the bed in the room where Garibaldi died. The exhibition on Caprera will begin on 25 March, the Dante day, and will continue until September 2021.
Museo archeologico Sanna of Sassari
On the occasion of the national day dedicated to Dante Alighieri, the Museo Archeologico Sanna of Sassari is hosting a digital event on its social channels which will combine one of the finds in the collection, with some verses from the Canto VIII from Paradise.
Museo archeologico Giorgio Asproni of Nuoro
The digital event organized by the museum will focus on the citations dedicated to Sardinia in the Divine Comedy, and to the various Sardinian characters present in Dante’s work.
Pinacoteca Nazionale of Sassari
During the week of 22 and 25 March, posts with photos of pieces from the permanent collection accompanied by verses written by the Supreme Poet will be published on social networks. Finally on Thursday, 25 March there will be a short video which collects all the posts shared during the week.
Museo archeologico nazionale of Cagliari
On Thursday, 25 March, the Museo archeologico nazionale of Cagliari will present a conference and exhibition titled “Lapo Saltarelli. Da Cagliari al paradiso dantesco” (“Lapo Saltarelli. From Cagliari to Dante’s Paradise”), which will start in the spring. The focus of the museum’s event will be Lapo Saltarelli, fellow citizen and contemporary to Dante, jurist and poet, who was exiled to Cagliari, where he died. His remains rested in the Church of San Francesco of Stampace, under a tombstone which, after the destruction of the building, was transported to the Church of Bonaria, and later became part of the collection in the Museo archeologico nazionale of Cagliari. The conference will also explore aspects of the life of Lapo and the historical context of Pisan Cagliari and of Sardinia in general during the late 13th and early 14th centuries.