Marilena Ferrari - FMR -- Donation of canova at the G8 in L'Aquila

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DONATION OF CANOVA AT THE G8 IN L'AQUILA

The total work of art Antonio Canova. L'invenzione della bellezza donated by the Italian government to the Heads of State at G8.

A masterpiece in book form and symbol of Italian excellence: this is the total work of art in book form Antonio Canova. L'invenzione della bellezza, created by the Fondazione Marilena Ferrari-FMR and donated by Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi as a gift for Heads of State who attended G8.
The presentation took place on Wednesday 8th July 2009, in Coppito, near the Guardia di Finanza headquarters that housed works for the summit.

The work was chosen for two reasons: firstly because Antonio Canova can be considered Italy's first universal ambassador of beauty and, secondly, because this work of art symbolically represents the combination of two of Italy's main features of excellence: its immense historical and cultural heritage and the country's centuries-old tradition of fine craftsmanship .
In order to celebrate the genius of Canova in the third millennium, leading masters of the art of Italian craftsmanship have worked together as in the Renaissance, and their generosity has permitted this donation.

The work of art Antonio Canova. L'invenzione della bellezza was produced in only 10 copies numbered with Arabic numerals.

The first copy was given to the Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper;
the second to the President of the French Republic Nicolas Sarkozy;
the third to Angela Merkel, Federal Chancellor of Germany;
the fourth to Taro Aso, Prime Minister of Japan;
the fifth to Silvio Berlusconi, President of Italy's Council of Ministers;
the sixth to Gordon Brown, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom;
the seventh to Dmitry Medvedev, President of the Russian Federation;
the eighth to Barack Obama, President of the United States of America;
the ninth to Fredrik Reinfeldt, Prime Minister of Sweden and current President of the Council of the European Union and the tenth to José Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission.

Features of the work

The cover bears a marble bas-relief showing a detail from a work by Canova The Graces and Venus Dancing Before Mars, created in statuary marble from the Fantiscritti quarries in Carrara, the same that supplied Antonio Canova. The bas-relief is set in velvet brocade with woven gold thread.

Inside, on special pure cotton handmade velata paper enhanced by the Antonio Canova watermark, are a selection of texts from authors of Canova's era printed on a press.

These are interspersed with 26 tempera plates by Canova, all hand mounted and silk-screen printed, 5 etchings and 77 photos of Canova's works by Mimmo Jodice.

Each single component of the work has been bound by hand.

The frontispiece of each copy carries customised calligraphy dedications to each of the Heads of States that participated in G8.
Every single work of art is accompanied by the manual transcription of the national anthem of each country, decorated with illuminations that recall the history and traditions of each nation.

The work of art is also completed by a silk bookmark with the emblem of every single country and a magnifying glass. The holders for the bookmark and magnifying glass are fused in .925 silver and coated in antique gold.

The work of art is protected by a mahogany and ash box hand finished in gold leaf and silk. The box bears the G8 symbol, the coat of arms of Italy and that of each country that received the work.