italianess!

Italianità. A belief in beauty and form, a resoluteness in the face of suffering, a sense of what is real and meaningful, a distaste for rhetoric and the vague, and a notion that the individual is a part of a greater, meaningful tradition. These are some of the distinctive traits that have manifested visually over the centuries, shaping the form of Italian cultural identity and compelling generations to “grand tour” through the majestic country of Italy.

While there is no simple recipe for capturing, promoting, or preserving Italy’s visual identity, in its second volume, Il Libro continues to explore and unearth what is perhaps forgotten, and to place a mirror in front of the seemingly obvious so that we may look at it from a different vantage point.

In this issue we also explore the quintessentially Italian colour red. Rosso corsa is one of the three colours of the tricolore. It signifies charity and stands alongside the green of hope and the white of faith. Yet red is also the colour of fire, fertility, blood, and sacrifice; of passion, luxury, lust, and revolution. It outranks every other hue in its emotional intensity. From the earthy reds of animals depicted on cave walls to the blazing reds of modern abstraction and design, its shades have been favoured by Italian artists across time to attract the eye and rouse our desires.

the magazine of italian art

Published twice a year, the print edition of IL LIBRO features the very best in Italian art, culture, design, and fashion, luxuriously produced and in English. A robust program of exclusive events and international launches will accompany each issue.