Today, the National Post published my Q&A with David Franklin, curator of "From Raphael to Carracci: The Art of Papal Rome", which is the National Gallery of Canada's summer blockbuster. I know it's silly to tie the production of an art historical exhibition to Dan Brown's Angels & Demons... but of course that didn't stop me from trying. An exerpt:
Q The movie Angels & Demons just came out. Are there any connections here for Dan Brown fans?
A I think if you want to understand more of Rome and papacy there's definitely lots to delve into in this exhibition. I'm not sure about one-to-one parallels, though.
Q Still, aren't Brown's books about looking for clues in artworks and architecture?
A Yes, and it's a nice metaphor for what art historians do. We're also looking for clues, and while there may be this veneer of accuracy in what we write, there's a lot of room for interpretation and detective work. It's inevitable that art produced centuries ago is going to keep a lot of secrets or enigmas.
The show opens Friday May 29.
Image of one of Raphael's portraits from Jerry and Martha
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Q&A: The National Gallery's own Angels & Demons Blockbuster?
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2 comments:
while there may be this veneer of accuracy in what we writeI really appreciate his irony, it's great )
indeed!
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