Leonardo and Raphael Tapestries at Reggia di Venaria Explore Papal Ceremonies

The Reggia di Venaria near Turin will host the exhibition 'All'ombra di Leonardo. Arazzi e cerimonie alla corte dei papi' from March 21, 2023, in the Sale delle Arti. Organized by the Consorzio delle Residenze Reali Sabaude and the Vatican Museums, the show delves into Catholic rituals like the Lavanda dei piedi and Coena Domini, depicted in works by Leonardo da Vinci and Raphael. Curated by Alessandra Rodolfo and Andrea Merlotti, it features a precious tapestry of Leonardo's Last Supper, a gift from Francis I of France to Catherine de' Medici and Henry of Valois, woven with gold and silk and bearing Savoy symbols. This tapestry, commissioned in 1516, returns after 40 years. Also on view is a papal canopy designed by Raphael's pupils for Clement VII, and a Gobelins tapestry donated by Napoleon to Pope Pius VII. The exhibition includes liturgical objects such as a ewer used by Carlo Felice and Carlo Alberto of Savoy. The Reggia di Venaria, a Baroque masterpiece by Amedeo di Castellamonte, is a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of Italy's five most visited cultural sites, featuring contemporary sculptures by Giuseppe Penone, Giovanni Anselmo, Giuseppe Maraniello, and Mimmo Paladino.