Boldini and Bellandi Dialogue with Baudelaire at Bologna's CUBO

At CUBO – Spazio Arte in Bologna, an exhibition pairs Giovanni Boldini's 1903 portrait of Lady Nanne Schrader with Luca Bellandi's contemporary works to explore Charles Baudelaire's dual concept of beauty. Baudelaire, born 200 years ago, defined beauty as having two faces: one transformative and feminine, the other a social problem where physical perfection comes at the cost of emotional expression. Boldini's "divine" series embodies the first aspect, where clothing defines the wearer. Bellandi, stylistically distant, treats clothing as a contingent yet eternal sign of the soul, uniting different historical times and perpetuating existence. The show creates a spontaneous dialogue across media and centuries, honoring the poet's legacy.