March 11, 2011. Rome is hosting the first-ever solo exhibition of the work of Lorenzo Lotto, the Renaissance painter whose art anticipated Baroque and Modern styles.

The exhibition features 56 works by the artist and may be seen on display until June 12.

Lorenzo Lotto was born in 1480 and was sidelined by patrons after his work was rejected by the Papal household. Failure was perhaps inevitable, it would seem, when considering that his main artistic competitor was Rafael.

The exhibited works reflect Lotto's complex and introspective personality.

Emmanuele F. M. Emanuele
President of Scuderie del Quirinale
“The unique characteristics of his personality are represented in two periods of his work: his complexity is represented by the grandeur of his altarpieces. His instrospection, is revealed in his prevailing mystical vision of life, which led him to spiritual confinement in a monastery at the end of his life."

Lotto was one of the earliest examples of pictorial nomadism. He avoided the great artistic centers, and spent most of his time working autonomously in different cities on the Adriatic coast of Italy.
Perhaps it is for that reason that he was accused of provincialism and was misunderstood by many of his contemporaries.

Giovanni C. F. Villa
Exhibition curator
“Lorenzo Lotto is an artist who captures the essence and humanity of the things and people he portrays with a simple picture, a glazed picture painted with cool colors, giving movement through games of colors to create shadows.”

A dozen of his paintings have been restored for the occasion of the exhibition, thanks to collaboration with the restoration workshops of the Vatican Museums and other private institutions.

This provides patrons a unique opportunity to view Lotto's art as he originally intended.

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