Vasari's multifaceted genius explored in Arezzo exhibition

The exhibition 'Vasari. Il teatro delle virtù' in Arezzo presents Giorgio Vasari not only as the author of 'Le Vite' but as a refined painter, architect, and cultural manager at the Medici court. Curated by Cristina Acidini, the show features works from the Louvre and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, including drawings from the Salone dei Cinquecento in Palazzo Vecchio. A highlight is the return to Arezzo of the Etruscan Chimera bronze, discovered in 1553, which Vasari helped interpret as a symbol of Cosimo de' Medici's victory. The exhibition spans the ex-church of Sant'Ignazio, Casa Vasari, and the Museo d'Arte Medievale e Moderna, with monumental altarpieces like the 'Allegoria dell'Immacolata Concezione' and two canvases from Perugia's basilica of San Pietro shown for the first time outside their original location. Acidini draws an analogy between Vasari's allegorical inventions and modern augmented reality, suggesting his universe prefigured the metaverse.