Roman marble quarry history revealed in Carrara exhibition

A new exhibition at the Carmi Museum in Carrara, titled 'Romana Marmora,' explores the history of marble quarrying from Roman times to the present. The show features archaeological artifacts from the Museo del Marmo di Carrara (currently closed for renovation), the local Accademia di Belle Arti, and the ancient city of Luni, once the marble capital. Highlights include a torso of a Roman emperor with victory personifications and a sculpture combining attributes of Luna and Diana. The exhibition delves into imperial patronage, workers' religiosity, quarrying techniques, and the lives of slaves and merchants like Lucius Laberius Felix. It also displays heavy iron tools and the use of bardiglio marble for floors and fountains. The Carmi Museum's permanent collection complements the show with film memorabilia from 'The Sinner' by Andrei Konchalovsky and 'Michelangelo – Infinito' by Emanuele Imbucci, multimedia installations, and works by Giacomo Manzù, Carlo Ludovico Ragghianti, and Michelangelo Antonioni. The surrounding park features sculptures from the 11th edition of the Biennale Scolpire il marmo, curated by Giuliano Gori, including works by Sol LeWitt, Mario Merz, and Claudio Parmiggiani. The Fossacava quarry, a rare Roman-era site protected since 1911 and excavated in 2015, is open daily with graphic novel-style educational panels.