Bread and the Sassi: the Uffizi for the first time on display in Matera

From Oct. 10, 2019 to Jan. 10, 2020, the Uffizi is going on display for the first time in Matera, the European Capital of Culture 2019, for the exhibition Il Pane e i Sassi - The ancient theme of bread in a selection of works from the Uffizi Galleries.

The exhibition, curated by Maria Anna Di Pede and Maria Matilde Simari and organized and promoted by the Uffizi Galleries and the Fondazione Sassi di Matera, will be staged in the Sasso Barisano and is intended to be a narrative of theancient theme of bread. A theme that will be presented through a selection of paintings from the Florentine museum.

The exhibition will be divided into four sections, each with a series of works that highlight the historical, symbolic and religious value of bread through scenes of sacred subjects and daily life, still lif es and landscapes dedicated to wheat and its processing.

Bread has been fundamental in the culture and history of Matera and has become an identifying element of the city, along with the Sassi.

There are many works in the exhibition that depict episodes from the Old and New Testaments: bread is offered along with wine to Abraham by Melchizedek (Genesis 14:18), it falls from heaven in the form of manna (Exodus 16:1-35), it is multiplied by Jesus along with fish on the shores of the “Sea of Galilee” (John 6:11-14), is present on the table of the Last Supper (Luke 22:19) on display depicted by Sister Teresa Berenice as well as on the Emmaus table (Luke 24:30) painted in Cristofano Allori’s sketch.

Bread, symbol of the Christian Eucharistic rite and emblem of fertility for ancient civilizations, was also a favorite subject for allegories and convivial scenes.
Among the paintings featured are the Still Life attributed to Diego Velazquez, Francisco Barrera’s Still Life, the grotesque Snail Man painted on copper, and Filippo Napoletano’s Mill.

“This exhibition continues the Uffizi’s commitment to extending its cultural boundaries and actively dialoguing with the territory. After exhibitions abroad, in the U.S. in Cleveland and in Russia in Vladivostok, and those in Tuscany, for the first time we will show a selection of works in a Uffizi exhibition in Matera. It is a unique opportunity for art lovers to admire the original beauty of these works that tell a symbolic food story in the 2019 European Capital of Culture city. Being able to do this in such a context, among the Sassi, acquires a unique value,” said Uffizi Galleries Director Eike Schmidt.

“The immensity and universality of the masterpieces of the Galleries crosses the millennial story of the European Capital of Culture 2019, confirming that that of bread is a great story, rich in wisdom and poetry, art and faith, which embraces the entire history of humanity. We are proud and proud to be the first in Italy to host an exhibition of the Uffizi Galleries outside the Tuscan territory. The cooperation between the Sassi Foundation and Uffizi Galleries is also an indication of method for the years to come: the network between cultural institutions, the comparison with other experiences, and the openness to national and international exchanges and collaborations are essential to preserve, consolidate and develop the role conquered by the city of Sassi for 2019,” added Sassi Foundation President Vincenzo Santochirico.

For info: www.fondazionesassi.org

Hours: Daily from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 4 to 8 p.m. Closed Mondays.

Tickets: Full 5 euros, reduced 3 euros for under 18s, students and Basilicata residents. Free for children 6 and under.

Image: Jan Steen, The Breakfast

Bread and the Sassi: the Uffizi for the first time on display in Matera

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