Fior di Barba

Catalogue edited on the occasion of the exhibition at the Paris venue (03 November - 23 December 2011).

Fior di Barba!

It is the title of a curious and unusual exhibition focusing on the theme of the beard in art.

Result of a long and exciting research, all the works have a common element: the beard and its role over the centuries, at least in the European context.

Works on mythological themes are mixed with paintings linked to the Jewish-Christian tradition, culminating in a series of portraits dating between the 16th and 19th centuries

Different traditions and cultures have assigned the definition of male aesthetics to this appendage of virility, characterising man since his origins. Although it has taken on symbolic meanings linked to customs, traditions, religious creeds, social roles and fashions, the beard remains, at the core, a symbol of the sensuality that only men possess.

Scientific coordination and critical essay by Laura Martchesini.

Catalogue available in Italian and French languages.