Italy’s Hidden Treasures

My wife and I just returned from a vacation in Italy. We had written to the Italian government in advance and been assured that all of the art exhibits listed below were open. We found this not to be true. Readers should be aware that the following popular exhibits in central Italy were closed or partially closed (indefinitely) for restoration.

In Perugia, Collegio del Cambio is closed; Galleria Nazionale dell’ Umbria is partially closed. In Arezzo, half of Piero della Francesca’s “Story of the True Cross” is covered for restoration; the other half, behind scaffolding, is difficult to see. In Orvieto, the Cappella della Madonna di San Brizio (contains frescoes by Fra Angelico and Luca Signorelli) is closed. In Milan, half of the Galleria di Brera is closed, and the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana is closed. And in Siena, the Pinacoteca closes early, at 2 p.m., due to a shortage of funds.

LON ENGELBERG, M.D.

Culver City