Venice: Correr Museum – The Venice
International Foundation Annual Members Gala Dinner. The annual dinner of the members of The Venice International Foundation was held this year in the majestic ballroom of the
Correr Museum in St. Mark's Square. The gala dinner celebrated the Fortuny
Mission project with a big fat check, whilst another big fat check was given
for part of the restoration of the newly opened Mocenigo Museum. Among the evening festivities the 2013 Venice
Foundation Cotisso Prize was given to Andrea Tomat. And a special guided tour
of the newly re-opened Empress “Sissy” Imperial suites was given by the
museum’s director Andrea Bellieni.
Correr Museum: The Venice International
Foundation dinner. The president and
driving force of The Venice International Foundation Franca Coin awards two
checks for the restoration of works to Walter Hartsarich, president of the
Fondazione Musei Civici di Venezia,
for conversation and restoration of the newly opened Mocenigo Museum and to
Daniela Ferretti curator of the Fortuny Museum; in particular for the restoration of Mariano Fortuny
y Madrazo’s model of the Teatro delle Feste, the wall paintings of the studio,
the model for the theater in Bayreuth and the great album of Fortuny Theatre
Projects all of which have now been concluded.
The next contribution is required
for the restoration of the dies for printing on fabric that Mariano
realized over a period of forty years in the field of fashion and decoration.
These wonderful prints are a real "dictionary" an ornamental language of Fortuny and an
indispensable tool for understanding the meaning of his art.
The Venice International Foundation
dinner.
The
members of the board of The Venice
International Foundation awarded the coveted 2013 Venice Foundation Cotisso Prize to Andrea Tomat. Walter Hartsarich,
Francesco Molinari, Franca Coin, Andrea Tomat, Helene de Prittwitz Zaleski, Paolo Cantarella
and Giustina Destro.
Walter Hartsarich, president of the
Fondazione Musei Civici di Venezia and
his wife Lina.
May and
Axel Vervoordt, Franca Coin, Julia and Gabriel Cuonzo
Vittorio Gregotti
Cesare
and Liliana Rimini
The Venice International Foundation
dinner.
Under Antonio Canova’s bas-reliefs, Bisol’s Jeio
Cuvee Rose brut was served before a special guided tour of the newly
restored private
rooms reserved for Empress "Sissi" of Austria in the Imperial Apartments of the
Royal Palace, of which the Correr Museum occupies a part.
Axel Vervoordt and Daniela Ferretti
John Fiorilla di Santa Croce and Melissa Conn with
Canova’s statue of Erma di Saffo.
Adele Re Rebaudengo, Toni Tapies, Fabio Moretti,
Natasha Herbert Tapies and May Vervoordt
Royal Palace – The Imperial Rooms. One of the imperial rooms occupied by the Empress
“Sissy” of Austria with a spectacular marble and lapis lazuli table.
photograph by manfredi bellati
Correr Museum – The Ballroom. The sumptuous and opulent
ballroom is unique in the palace for the refinement of its Empire-style decor
and is set up for the annual members gala dinner of The Venice International
Foundation. Lorenzo Santi began the works on the design in 1822, and Giuseppe
Borsato completed the decoration in 1838. The room is bounded at both ends by
loggias intended to house the orchestra. In the foreground one of two
sculptures in Vicenza stone by Antonio Canova depicting Orpheus and Eurydice.
photograph by manfredi bellati
The Venice International Foundation
dinner.
The table centerpiece was designed by Franca Coin. Her husband Piergiorgio kindly picked the
walnuts and chestnuts himself come from the family estate in Asolo.
Royal Palace: The Imperial Rooms - The
Empress’ Bedchamber. From 1856 on, this spacious room was used as
Empress Elisabeth’s bedchamber. The lavish neo-Baroque hangings in blue and
light gold were added in 1854, when renovation was carried out and the original
is preserved under this one, which is an accurate reproduction by Rubelli.
Although no longer present, we know that the empress’ bed was in the Rococo
style, surrounded by curtains hanging from a metal baldachin. The daybed is one
of the few pieces of furniture from the Napoleonic period to have remained in
the palace and on the wall hangs an oil painting of the Empress Elisabeth.
Royal Palace: The Imperial Rooms. The director of the
Correr Museum, Andrea Bellieni conducted a special guided tour for the members
of The Venice International Foundation of the newly restored Imperial rooms
recently re-opened to the public in the Royal Palace where Princess
“Sissi” of Austria stayed, for 38 days, during her first visit to Venice in
1856. Later, Elizabeth chose the lagoon city as a refuge after the death of
little Sofia, between October 1861 and May 1862.
Andrea Bellieni and
Franca Coin
Inma Cavallucci and Helene de Prittwitz Zaleski
Andrea Tomat and
Piergiorgio Coin
Alessandra Mancino and
Giuliano Paterlini
Caterina Tognon and Marco
Vitale
Royal Palace: The Imperial Rooms.
Paolo Cantarella
Michele and Alessandra
Merlo
Alessandra Mancino,
Franca Micheli, Angela Cacopardo, Tatiana Ughi and Giuliana Micheli
Liliana Moscheri and Annabella
Bassani
The Venice International Foundation
dinner – The Cotisso Prize. The president of The
Venice International Foundation Franca Coin gives the Cotisso 2013 Venice
Foundation Prize to illuminated entrepreneur Andrea Tomat, who with his “Stonefly
walking with Art” project has succeeded in combining his deep and strong
business commitment for the support of young artists. A brave act of
patronage which in such difficult times for the economy can only be a sign of
optimism and should be rewarded.
The Menu
Cream of Pumpkin Soup with Scallops Flavored with
Truffles
Turbot with a Selection of Vegetables
A selections of Dolci di Pompeo
Tete-a-tete
St. Mark’s Square by night as seen from the Correr
Museum.
