La collezione d’arte di Franco Maria Ricci al Labirinto della Masone

Far more than a mere art collection catalogue, this volume offers readers the chance to retrace the history of Franco Maria Ricci and his collection, the majority of which is currently on display at the Labirinto della Masone. A series of introductory texts defining Franco Maria Ricci as an art collector is followed by descriptions (written by a large group of experts) of the artworks which, presented in chronological order, introduce us to the collection put together by Franco Maria Ricci and exhibited today in the rooms of the complex he envisaged and had built. Viewed together, they outline an eclectic collection where paintings, sculptures and objets d’art all coexist. The descriptions reveal the collector’s intuition as well as his personal taste. Starting from the Renaissance and the 17th-century (with a marked preference for the Emilian school), the collection continues into the 18th century with its great sculptures and artists linked to the golden years of the Duchy of Parma, then spans the 19th century with its Neoclassical busts portraying the lively Bonaparte family and its Romantic folk painting, finally ending with less frequent – yet meticulously chosen – forays into the 20th century, with works by Wildt, Andreotti, Savinio, Erté…