THE REGGIA: AN ITALIAN JOURNEY - BEAUTY AND THE PLEASURE OF LIVING

La Venaria Reale - Calendar of Events 2013
          BEAUTY AND THE PLEASURE OF LIVING
           THE REGGIA: AN ITALIAN JOURNEY

La Venaria Reale is a vast “permanent cultural project” that offers a wealth of opportunities
to learn, to feel new emotions and to make new experiences: a “contemporary court” for
you to discover. It is a journey through Italy and its glorious heritage, where historical,
natural and gastronomic traditions celebrate beauty and the pleasure of living.

La Venaria Reale is a grandiose estate situated just outside of Turin. It includes the
80,000-square-meter surface of the monumental Reggia and 50 hectares of Gardens, near
the 17th century historical center of the town of Venaria and the 3,000-hectare Park of La
Mandria. It is an architectural and natural masterpiece of universal baroque that was
enlisted as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1997. It reopened in 2007 after
completion of Europe’s largest restoration project ever undertaken concerning the cultural
heritage.

La Venaria Reale reopens on March 1st, 2013 after a winter break to present its latest
additions and a rich program of events and cultural activities.

                                   THE REGGIA
 Permanent Display /
PLACES
The permanent display
of the Reggia is titled
Theater of History and
Magnificence. It is a
journey in the history and
the art of the House of
Savoy that takes visitors
on a 2,000-meter long
walk through the ground
floor and the piano nobile
of the Royal Palace: here
you will admire the 17th
century spaces of the
Hall of Diana, the elegant
Great Gallery with music
composed by Brian Eno,
the solemn Church of St.
Hubert, 18th century architectural masterpieces by Filippo Juvarra and sumptuous stucco
decorations, and Peopling the Palaces - a series of multimedia installations by Peter
Greenaway on court life.

The charming Apartments of the Duchess Maria Giovanna Battista of Savoy-Nemours -
the second Royal Madam to whom the Reggia is dedicated with its symbols of the
goddess Diana - have been entirely refurbished.
Important paintings, the Alcove, newly restored details, the toilet set and other pieces of
furniture that once belonged to the Duchess and her spouse, Duke Carlo Emanuele II, the
tapestries that make up the Brussels manufacture cycle on the hunts of Diana and Apollo,
the pictorial series on the Royal Residences of Savoy and the superb cycle of the Muses
by Antiveduto Gramatica are only some of the latest additions that are now on display in
these precious 17th century rooms.

Another recent addition is the refined Collection of Paintings of Prince Eugene of
Savoy that now grace the walls of the Apartment of Princess Ludovica, the sister of Duke
Carlo Emanuele II, symbolically reinstating the picture collections that were once home at
La Venaria. The current collection consists of 60 works dating back to the 17th century
from the Galleria Sabauda, including masterpieces by Reni, Albani, Cignani, Van Dyck,
Brueghel and other Flemish and Dutch masters.

Remarkable new acquisitions are also found in the Royal Apartment of Vittorio Amedeo
II: the vast antechambers along the ceremonial route that precede the Great Gallery
provide now a better sense of their original function thanks to sculptures, period sofas,
stools and benches, and these spaces also offer a breathtaking view of the Gardens -
particularly the Terrace of the Queen near the Upper Park that will be inaugurated this
year.
In collaboration with the Ministry for the Cultural Heritage - Regional Directorate for the Cultural Heritage and
the Landscape of Piedmont, Regione Piemonte, Soprintendenza ai Beni Artistici, Storici ed Etnoantropologici
del Piemonte - Nuova Galleria Sabauda di Torino, Palazzo Reale di Torino, Museo Civico d’Arte Antica di
Torino, Museo di Antichità di Torino, Palazzo Madama - Museo Civico d’Arte Antica, Castello di Racconigi,
Palazzina di Caccia di Stupinigi, Musei di Genova - Musei di Strada Nuova, Intesa Sanpaolo.

                                                 EXHIBITIONS
The imposing building of the Great
Stables is home to the exhibition titled
The Sublime Boat that presents the
“Bucentaur of the King of Savoy”, the
most incredible artifact commissioned
by the House of Savoy and the last
remaining original ceremonial boat
manufactured in Venice in the 18th
century. The Great Stables - that were
built by Filippo Juvarra who also
participated in the project of the
Bucentaur - come alive through a multimedia installation by Davide Livermore, a stage
director specialized in musical theater. The staging of the Peota aims to showcase its
function as a ceremonial boat for the court in baroque times and it is one of the new
permanent additions that have further enhanced the Reggia’s display. Just like the boat,
the musical arias by Antonio Vivaldi date back to the 18th century and offer enthralling and
dream-like glimpses into those glorious moments in time.
Until June 2 (shows every 40 minutes: reservation recommended); reopening on September 21 without
admission time limitations as part of the exhibition “Royal Grand Gala”.
In collaboration with Fondazione Torino Musei - Palazzo Madama - Museo Civico d’Arte Antica, Consulta per
la Valorizzazione dei Beni Artistici e Culturali di Torino.

FROM MARCH 9 TO JULY 7
EXHIBITIONS

                                                           A Renaissance Master.
                                                           Lorenzo Lotto in the Marche region
                                                           Rooms of the Arts, 1st floor
                                                  After a display at Moscow’s Pushkin
                                                  Museum, the exhibition on Lorenzo Lotto -
                                                  one of the greatest and most intense
                                                  artists of the Italian Renaissance - lands at
                                                  the Reggia with ten new works from Italian
                                                  churches and museums. Also on show is
                                                  the fresco transposed on canvas that
depicts The Glory of Saint Vincent Ferrer from the Church of San Domenico in Recanati,
restored for the occasion.
The seductive beauty of the display, that includes around twenty paintings characterized
by great refinement and rigor, is a tribute to an artist whose sensibility and anxiety are
close to our contemporary feelings and it also provides insights into the painter’s
production in the Marche region. Lotto’s works for the Marche region marked one of the
highest points in his artistic creation and in the Italian Renaissance. Devotional paintings
commissioned for private and public collections, portraits and secular allegories illustrate
the extraordinary and eccentric biography and stylistic journey of this great artist.
In collaboration with the Ministry for the Cultural Heritage - Regional Directorate for the Cultural Heritage and
the Landscape of the Marche Region, Soprintendenza ai Beni Storici, Artistici ed Etnoantropologici delle
Marche, Regione Marche, MondoMostre.
Curated by Gabriele Barucca with Lorenza Mochi Onori and Maria Rosaria Valazzi.

FROM MARCH 23 TO SEPTEMBER 8
EXHIBITIONS
Roberto Capucci. In search of regality
Rooms of the Arts, 2nd floor
The show is a dazzling display of more
than 50 dresses created since the ‘50s by
the legendary fashion designer Capucci for
queens, movie stars and dames of high
society.
Capucci is unparalleled in his ability to
represent regality through creations that are genuine “sculpture dresses”, presented here
along with sketches, photos, videos and anecdotes on particular moments in time and the
celebrities that actually wore such masterpieces.
The splendor and solemnity of Capucci’s creations graced the silhouettes of, among others,
the princesses of the Borghese, Odescalchi and Colonna families, actresses Valentina
Cortese and Silvana Mangano, the opera singer Raina Kabajvanska, international stars like
Marilyn Monroe, Esther Williams and the Nobel prize winner for Medicine Rita Levi
Montalcini: their dresses punctuate a fascinating journey through fashion and luxury in the
second half of the 20th century that reflected the creative genius of one of the world’s
greatest fashion designers.
In collaboration with Fondazione Capucci. Curated by Massimiliano Capella.

FROM APRIL 1 TO OCTOBER 13
ROYAL DELIGHTS
Royal Dinners at Court
The program of sumptuous Royal Dinners
resumes with a rich menu of Italian regional
specialties in the breath-taking setting of the
Great      Gallery, matching     the    glorious
atmosphere and the elegance of this
extraordinary place with Italy’s gastronomic
tradition.

Water Theater and Music at Court
The calendar of events organised at La
Venaria Reale is rich. Make sure you don’t
miss the Water Theater at the Fountain of the
Stag in the Court of Honor: at set times the
fountain comes alive with 100 water jets
shooting up 12 meters in synch with ancient
and contemporary music. On Saturday and
Sunday evening the Water Theater offers an
enchanting show with music, light and
projection effects.
And if you take a tour of the Reggia on a holiday your tour will be further enriched by Music
at Court – when music is played in the most important spaces of the palace.

FROM MAY 16 TO SEPTEMBER 15
EXHIBITIONS
Mattia Preti, the Knight from Calabria.
An artist between Caravaggio and Luca Giordano
Rooms of the Arts, 1st floor
Organised on the occasion of the 400th anniversary of Mattia Preti’s birth and curated by
Vittorio Sgarbi, the exhibition presents an important selection of around thirty masterpieces
by the painter from Calabria, knighted by Pope Urban VIII, who was one of the major names
on the Italian scene in the 17th century.
Preti's works are displayed along with remarkable paintings by Caravaggio and Luca
Giordano, documenting the sources, the influences and the outcomes of his original
pictorial research.
In collaboration with Regione Calabria, Comitato IV Centenario della nascita di Mattia Preti - Sensi
Contemporanei, Anonima Talenti. Curated by Vittorio Sgarbi.

FROM SEPTEMBER 28 TO FEBRUARY 2, 2014
EXHIBITIONS
Royal Grand Gala.
Carriages and sedan chairs from Italian Courts
Juvarra Stables
The exhibition, organised by the Reggia di
Venaria, Palazzo del Quirinale in Rome
and Polo Museale Fiorentino - Palazzo
Pitti in Florence is the first event set up in
the framework of a collaboration project
between the three capitals of Italy (Turin,
Florence and Rome) to promote initiatives
and studies on the Courts of Italy and
particularly the Kingdom of Italy.
Royal Grand Gala presents a selection of
sumptuous carriages used by the
Sovereigns of Italy for their public appearances on the occasion of major ceremonies. The
“art works” on display provide a magnificent and fascinating overview of Court history: an
invaluable heritage that inspires wonder and awe and that deserves greater interest and
attention for its historical and artistic relevance. The display includes some superb
carriages and sedan chairs from the 18th century, like the gala coaches of Italy’s
Sovereigns during the Restoration, the Kings of Naples and Sardinia, and the Grand Duke
of Tuscany. Most notably, carriages that once belonged to Carlo Alberto, Pope Pius IX
and Vittorio Emanuele II take visitors from the times of the Risorgimento to Italy’s
Unification and the opulent court of Umberto I and Margherita in Rome, the capital of a
country that was finally united.
The exhibition also includes admission to the multimedia show The Sublime Boat to
admire the Bucentaur of Savoy - the last remaining original ceremonial boat produced in
Venice in 18th century.
Exhibition organised with Segretariato generale della Presidenza della Repubblica - Palazzo del Quirinale and
Polo Museale Fiorentino; in collaboration with Musei Vaticani, Museo di Roma, Museo di Palazzo Venezia,
Palazzo Reale e Galleria Spinola di Genova, Museo Civico d’Arte Antica di Torino.
Coordinated by: Marco Lattanzi, Andrea Merlotti, Fausta Navarro. Curatorial Committee: Clelia Arnaldi di
Balme, Sandro Barbagallo, Marco Lattanzi, Andrea Merlotti, Fausta Navarro, Pietro Passerin d’Entrèves.

Six years after opening to the public, La Venaria Reale celebrates its anniversary with a full
day of performances and special initiatives, like the running race Una Corsa da Re from the
Gardens of the Reggia to the Park of La Mandria.

                                       THE GARDENS
Permanent Display / PLACES

After completing the tour of the Reggia, visitors step into the Gardens of Venaria - over 50
hectares of greenery and attractions. The magnificent views and the vastness of the
natural scenery - from the thick forest of the adjoining Park of La Mandria to the mountain
peaks of the Alps in the distance - offer an unique example of “historical gardens” that is
unparalleled in Italy.

The reconstructed Lower Park or Parco Basso takes visitors to the vast water expanse of
the Pond (Peschiera), to the Garden of Fluid Sculptures by Giuseppe Penone, the
seventeenth century grottoes, the remains of the Fountain of Hercules and the Temple of

Diana that punctuate the long straight line of the newly redesigned Water Canal, the
orchards and vegetable gardens of the Potager Royal, the largest in Italy.
In the vegetable garden lawns alternate with orchards and extensive cultures, water
ponds, fountains and pergolas, to inspire in today’s visitors the same wonder and delight of
the past. In the orchard a selection of ancient historical local species have been reinstated
and more 1,700 new plants are now in place. The Delights (Delizie) from the Royal
Potager - the fruits and vegetables grown there - are on sale at Caffé degli Argenti and will
soon be available also at the new Bottega delle Delizie or “Shop of Delights”. It is the first
taste of the produce grown in the Potager Royal as it expands into a full line of products.

In the 18th century Upper Park or Parco Alto the peculiar squared pattern includes the
recently reinstated Grand Parterre with the new installation by Giovanni Anselmo (in
springtime), the large Alleys, the Groves and the Fantacasino - the attraction in the
Leisure Grove designed for children and adults that provides a modern rendition of the
ancient vocation of the Gardens as a place of leisure and fun.

FROM MARCH 23 TO OCTOBER 13
ROYAL DELIGHTS
From the spring to the fall, visitors may
also catch a glimpse of peacocks, ducks
and mallards that inhabit the groves near
the canals and the ponds. A tour on the
horse carriage will take you from the
Gran Parterre on a journey to discover
the most inspiring scenarios and the
remotest corners of the park. But you
can also enjoy the Gardens by taking a
tour on the Train of the Gardens and
by sailing on the Gondolas on the great
Pond.

Diana’s Arrow is a train that takes visitors across the Lower Park and its evocative natural
settings, all the way to the remains of the Temple of Diana.

Another unusual way to enjoy the Gardens is a trip on the Great Pond on Diana and
Hercules, the two gondolas of the Reggia - an activity that was fashionable in the 17th
and 18th centuries, when the typical Venetian boat was a staple at all riverside court
residences. In 1731 one such boat left Venice and landed at the Castle of Valentino in
Turin along the more prestigious “Bucentaur of Savoy”.
In collaboration with SUISM, Department of Motor Sciences of the University of Turin, and the Rowing
Society of Turin - Società Canottieri Armida.

For information on the full program and for reservations:
ph. +39 011 4992333 – www.lavenariareale.it