The restoration of the Sala dei Quaranta in Palazzo Bo
Arneg contributes to the enhancement of the Italian cultural heritage in various ways. One of these is the "adoption" of two paintings of the famous Sala dei Quaranta in Palazzo Bo. The aim is to bring them back to their former glory by subsidising their restoration work which will end in 2022, the year of the 800th anniversary of the University of Padua that hosts them.
The Sala dei Quaranta - antechamber of the Galileo Auditorium - is an important part of the guided tours of the historic complex of the Padua University and shows, with its portraits of the best foreign students, the international vocation of the school, a driving force for an international dialogue and the diffusion of a free culture.
The canvases were painted in tempera by Giangiacomo dal Forno in 1942 and recall illustrious men such as William Harvey, Nicolò da Cusa Georg Wirsüng, Michel de l'Hôspital and many others. The room is dominated by the presence of the Chair of Galileo Galilei, who taught in Padua from 1592 to 1610.
Fourteen "illustrious students" canvases are already under restoration; thirty-two canvases and four flags (representative banners of the Faculties) have been adopted by private donors such as associations, individuals and companies, including Arneg who adopted the paintings of:
- Gaspar Bauhin, Swiss anatomist and botanist (1560-1624)
- Costantino Cantacuzino, Romanian philosopher and scholar (1650-1716)
To date, eight canvases are still looking for benefactors. For those interested in taking part in this project, all information is available here.
Let's preserve our cultural heritage together, giving future generations a past to be proud of.