Heatwave in Italy: Artworks Depicting Scorching Temperatures

Italy is experiencing an anomalous and violent heatwave from Africa, with temperatures reaching up to 47 degrees Celsius, especially in the South and Islands, while the North faces storms and hail. This underscores the environmental and climate emergency affecting daily life and global socio-economic structures. In response, the article explores artworks that offer solace and suggestions for coping with the heat, featuring paintings by Pieter Bruegel the Elder and Younger, Vincent van Gogh, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Georges Seurat, and Gustave Courbet depicting bathing, shade, and drinking water. For those feeling particularly hot, a version of Saint Lawrence on the gridiron by Gian Lorenzo Bernini is highlighted. The article also explains why recent heatwaves have been named Cerberus and Charon, referencing representations by Peter Paul Rubens, Gustave Doré, and William Blake. The piece is by Desirée Maida and published on Artribune.