Five New Art and Design Books Released in Italy

A roundup of five new Italian publications covers iconoclasm, Sicilian historic homes, a novel about art, design excellence in Bergamo and Brescia, and cloud photography from the pandemic. Michele Dantini's 'Le forme del divino' (Il Mulino, 2024, €24) explores metaphysical and religious value of images from the Protestant Reformation through thinkers like Erasmus, Calvin, Dostoevsky, Florensky, Heidegger, Simone Weil, and Pasolini, contrasting with 19th-20th century avant-gardes. 'Domus Siciliæ' (Dario Flaccovio Editore, 2024, €40) by Alessio Maria Camarda Signorino and Emilio Messina offers a photographic journey through Sicily's historic residences. Thomas Schlesser's novel 'Gli occhi di Monna Lisa' (Longanesi, 2024, €22) follows a grandfather taking his granddaughter to Paris museums to view 52 artworks from Leonardo da Vinci to Marina Abramović before she loses her sight. 'Le fabbriche pensanti' (Tumulti Edizioni, 2024, €38), curated by Davide Pagliarini, highlights design companies from Bergamo and Brescia that won the Compasso d'Oro award, covering domestic, public, industrial, mechatronics, education, and health sectors. Michele Pellegrino's 'Io, il covid e le nuvole' (Electa, 2024, €32) documents clouds observed from his home during the 2020-2021 pandemic.