Federico Zeri
Encyclopedia
Federico Zeri was an Italian
art historian. He was born in Rome
.
In 1963 he directed the foundation of the John Paul Getty Museum of Malibu. He was a specialist in the Italian painting of the 13th and 14th centuries, and latterly professor at the Catholic University of Milan. He wrote for the Italian newspaper La Stampa
, and authored many books.
In 1984 he showed that the alleged Amedeo Modigliani
's sculptures found in Livorno
were amateurish work made by students.
Zeri died at Mentana
in 1998.
He was called "another angel of enlightenment (...) a dying breed. It is possible that our culture, with its mirthless, professionalized preoccupation with specialized precincts of knowledge, will never again bring forth a generation as effortlessly erudite and at home in European culture as the best of Zeri's generation have been" (GARDNER, JAMES. "Twice Blest." National Review 42, no. 24 (December 17, 1990): 46-51).
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
art historian. He was born in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
.
In 1963 he directed the foundation of the John Paul Getty Museum of Malibu. He was a specialist in the Italian painting of the 13th and 14th centuries, and latterly professor at the Catholic University of Milan. He wrote for the Italian newspaper La Stampa
La Stampa
La Stampa is one of the best-known, most influential and most widely sold Italian daily newspapers. Published in Turin, it is distributed in Italy and other European nations. The current owner is the Fiat Group.-History:...
, and authored many books.
In 1984 he showed that the alleged Amedeo Modigliani
Amedeo Modigliani
Amedeo Clemente Modigliani was an Italian painter and sculptor who worked mainly in France. Primarily a figurative artist, he became known for paintings and sculptures in a modern style characterized by mask-like faces and elongation of form...
's sculptures found in Livorno
Livorno
Livorno , traditionally Leghorn , is a port city on the Tyrrhenian Sea on the western edge of Tuscany, Italy. It is the capital of the Province of Livorno, having a population of approximately 160,000 residents in 2009.- History :...
were amateurish work made by students.
Zeri died at Mentana
Mentana
Mentana is a town and comune in the province of Rome, Lazio, central Italy.-History:Mentana's name in ancient times was Nomentum, to which the Via Nomentana led from Rome. According to Livy, the town was part of the Latin League, which went to war with Rome during the reign of Rome's king Lucius...
in 1998.
He was called "another angel of enlightenment (...) a dying breed. It is possible that our culture, with its mirthless, professionalized preoccupation with specialized precincts of knowledge, will never again bring forth a generation as effortlessly erudite and at home in European culture as the best of Zeri's generation have been" (GARDNER, JAMES. "Twice Blest." National Review 42, no. 24 (December 17, 1990): 46-51).