italiafile

Another summer's day, but I chose to spend it at the Capodimonte art gallery. A new exhibition has just opened... the last four years of Caravaggio's life and they have pulled out all the stops. They have managed to garner virtually every picture, apart from the ones he did in Malta. The Maltese don't feel like lending them apparently, they are all the culture they have.
Nevertheless they have lifesize digital photos of them and they'renot half bad. The rest of the show is incredible. Whatsmore I think its going off to the National Gallery at the end of its run here, so book early as Fred Pontin would urge you to do. http://www.caravaggioultimotempo.it
One of the high spots, is an interactive dvd which allows you to zoom and crop and inspect in ridiculous close up any painting.. and annoyingly they're not planning on selling the dvd to punters. Madness.
In the UK I would have had to book a ticket 3 months ago and appear on the dot of 11.15, but here I wandered in midday, and shared the entire exhibition (and the rest of the museum which is one of the best in Italy) with 15 others. All for 10 euros. So a cheap day out. THe fly in the ointment was that I had to walk back to the city as the traffic was 'in tilt' as the Italians would have it.
With the day of the dead approaching, the shops are full of fabulous 'torrone' a chocolate nougat confection filled with pistachio or cassata or almonds. I could eat it by the kilo, but my teeth protest.
And it's a long weekend... All saints Day being a holiday here on Monday. Weather set fair, so there will no doubt be a trip to the beach somewhere along the line.