Gerhard Richter and Titian's Annunciations Converge at Palazzo Te

At Palazzo Te in Mantua, the exhibition 'Tiziano – Gerhard Richter. Il Cielo sulla Terra' pairs Titian's 16th-century Annunciations with abstract works by Gerhard Richter, exploring a dialogue between Renaissance and contemporary art. The project originated from Fondazione Palazzo Te director Stefano Baia Curioni, who, after a seminar on Stromboli, engaged curators Helmut Friedel, Marsel Grosso, and Giovanni Iovane, with exhibition design by Piero Lissoni. Initially planned to include Richter's Annunciation paintings from Basel, the loan was denied; Richter then personally intervened, creating a new installation using his own paintings and photographic reproductions of his 'family annunciations.' The show emphasizes female subjectivity, portraying the Madonna as an active figure. Richter, who first encountered Titian's Annunciation at Venice's Scuola Grande di San Rocco during the 1972 Biennale, has long admired the Venetian master. The exhibition includes photographic reproductions of Richter's works, a deliberate choice reflecting his conceptual stance on originality. Lissoni's design uses white panels for Richter and red for Titian, with dramatic lighting that treats Richter as a Renaissance painter. The show marks a new direction for Palazzo Te, now unified under a foundation, with plans for future exhibitions on Giulio Romano and contemporary culture.