Episode by Giulio Manfredii
A new interpretation of "The Last Supper"
Commissioned by the Italian Ministry of Culture
The Japan-Italy Treaty of Amity and Commerce, signed between Japan and Italy on August 25,1866 (Keio 2),
Celebrated its 150 anniversary in 2016 (Heisei 28).
As a commemorative event, HISASHI HORAYA, an affiliate of HORAYA INTERNATIONAL, invited Italian jewelry designer Mr. Giulio Manfredi to its jewelry exhibition in September of the same year.
Mr. Giulio Manfredi from Piacenza, a historical city in the north of Italy, launched his own brand MANFREDI in 1973 as a model for the revival of traditional metalworking art, which is still relevant today.
The restoration of Leonardo Da Vinci's " The Last Supper ", one of the most famous paintings in the world, was carried out from 1977 to 1999.
In 2009, on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the completion of the restoration , the Italian Ministry of Culture commissioned a work based on a new interpretation to Mr. Manfredi who has brought the ancient jewelry art tradition up to date, to create a work of art for commemorating the 10th anniversary of the restoration.
He focused on the figures of Jesus Christ and each of his 12 disciples as depicted in " The Last Supper".
And "Invisible L'oro 12+1 " was born.
"Invisible L'oro 12+1"
The exhibition was held from May 6 to July 4, 2011 at the Chiesa di Santa Maria delle Grazie and Pinacoteca di Brera, where " The Last Supper”is displayed.
A special installation was created to present Giulio Manfredi's artworks, which were promoted through cultural events and valuable publications.
The “Invisible L'oro 12+1” artworks were also exhibited along with the exhibition “Leonardo, Genius, and Myth” at La Venaria Reale, a 17th century palace built by the former King Savoy, from November 17, 2011 to February 19, 2012.
In September 2016, the exhibition was also held at the Casa di Manzoni in Milan.
In September 2018, the exhibition was held in Biblioteca Ambrosiana, Milan, known for having the largest repository of Leonard Da Vinch's sketches and notes in the world.
Installation exhibition
Installation is one of the methods and genres of expression in contemporary art, along with paintings, sculpture, video, and photography.
It is an art form in which works are placed indoors or outdoors according to the artist's intentions to create a space, and the entire place is experienced as a work of art.
From this point of view, the Italian Ministry of Culture highly valuates
Giulio Manfredi's artworksas a way to revive valuable art in a new way.
Advance Notice
First time held in Japan in Nov. 2022
The installation exhibition of "Invisible L'oro 12+1" will be held
in Nagasaki Prefectural Art Museum.
Nagasaki is recognized as a World Heritage Site in 2018 for its history of preserving Christianity despite the hardships of 259 years of severe oppression.
We believe that it is very meaningful that the first event will be held in Nagasaki.
Mr. Manfredi's Other Career
・Special adviser to the goldsmith degree program at Firenze Universita degli Studi since 1992.
・In 1998, commissioned by the city of Verona to create a sculpture for the Romeo and Juliet Awards.
・In 2011, commissioned by the Congregation of the High Priest of Culture in Rome to create an artworks for the 60th.
Episode by Eventi
HISASHI HORAYA Jewelry Collection Event in March 2016
Visited the Nagasaki Prefectural Art Museum in November 2019
Image sketches for the exhibition at Nagasaki Prefectural Art Museum