Giorgione's 'Due amici' anchors dual-venue Renaissance portrait show in Rome

A major exhibition spanning Palazzo Venezia and Castel Sant'Angelo in Rome explores Renaissance portraiture through the lens of Giorgione's 'Due amici' (ca. 1500). The painting, housed at Palazzo Venezia, is celebrated for its psychological depth, depicting a melancholic youth holding a bitter orange (symbol of melancholy) and a reflective companion. The show traces the evolution of Venetian portraiture from profile to three-quarter views, featuring works by Gentile and Giovanni Bellini, and culminates with Titian's 'Ritratto di musicista' (ca. 1514), which emphasizes emotion and spatial context. At Castel Sant'Angelo, portraits are paired with books, musical scores, and instruments, highlighting poetry and music's role in conveying sentiment. Artists include Bartolomeo Veneto, Bernardino Licinio, Paris Bordon, Moretto, Bronzino, Sofonisba Anguissola, and Federico Barocci. A discovery during preparation identified the madrigal in 'Ritratto di gentildonna con lira da braccio' (post 1537) as Philippe de Verdelot's 'Quando madonna io vengo a contemplarte' (1537), now performed by Francesco Pedrini and Ensemble La Pedrina. The exhibition also features a site-specific installation by Luca Brinchi and Daniele Spanò with video mapping and music by Franz Rosati.