Travels with a Curator: Genoa

In this week’s episode of “Travels with a Curator,” join Deputy Director and Peter Jay Sharp Chief Curator Xavier F. Salomon on a journey to Genoa, one of his favorite cities in Italy. A rich maritime and financial center in the 17th century, Genoa was a natural draw for artists at the time, including the great Flemish painter Anthony van Dyck. The Frick owns three portraits painted by Van Dyck while he resided in Genoa, allowing viewers to peek into the past at a flourishing city at the height of its power and influence.
To see these paintings in detail, please visit our website:
collections.frick.org/objects...
collections.frick.org/objects...
collections.frick.org/objects...

[@fritzmasten7675]

With the world this grim, I am living for these videos

[@mbfrezon]

You and the Frick should be proud at how you are fulfilling a mission to bring art and education to the world. Well done and thank you to you and all the other curators!

[@roniquebreauxjordan1302]

One of the best series during #stayathome

[@colonosbosquesdelimasac3648]

With these episodes of “Travels and Cocktails with a curator” I will never visit the Frick Collection Museum the same way again. So many thanks!!!!!!!!!

[@janie7242]

Very informative! Thanks.😃 🎨🖌️

[@michaelakay6804]

These videos are an absolute treasure. How lucky we modern humans are to have the world's knowledge at our fingertips, for free. (and how crazy to ignore such riches and spend our time online in pointless arguments)

[@Melneepies]

Ill health & that I live on the other side of the Pond means that I will never have the opportunity to visit the Frick. These stories have been one of the few beneficial side effects of the lock down, the cocktails & especially the travels have been outstanding & both Aimee & Xavier have brought the videos to life. The occasional personal reference such as Xavier's childhood visit to Dieppe have been entertaining & informative.

[@danielc45]

Really enjoyed your travels videos and arts so far. Will try to catch up with them very soon.

[@dianapatterson1559]

I ought to have made this point months ago, but these Travels and Cocktails pieces are so much more enjoyable than formal lectures -- which I love, and yet, when the pandemic is past, may these intimate, kindly looks at the works of art in the Frick continue. Many thanks.

[@Leebearify]

Oh goodness I do really agree!! It had not occurred to me until to put it out there. Perhaps it is because I do not have to dress up or find parking (or come from California LOL)... I get my soda and curl up and learn from the best. I think we all might consider finding a Thank you card, or note and sending it off snail mail to Xavier and Aimee. When their respective offices are filling with 'thank you notes' they will see how much they are appreciated !!

[@jonandrews3528]

Thank you for the beautiful story

[@meggallucci5300]

My family came from Aprigliano in Calabria. They settled in western Pennsylvania. This piece makes me wonder exactly how they arrived when they resided in a rural mountainous area nowhere near a port. In 2016, I raveled to the Commune of Aprigliano and climbed the mountain to Guarno to find my grandfather’s original birth record in the Municipio. This was a great day for me.

[@debcap65]

Such a lovely episode. This wonderfully informative and enjoyable series makes not being able to travel, or to visit the Frick Collection, more bearable. Thank you!

[@Kalichar11]

So well done. A wonderful way to start the day. Didn’t expect the mention of immigration-a meaningful final touch.

[@MrJkopec22]

These pieces. Each of them are little jewels. Thank you.

[@SusanLH]

It is so wonderful to enjoy the Frick Collection from my corner of the world. World class collection and lectures. Thank you. :)

[@elizabethkiff9162]

Every episode is so thoroughly enjoyable. I sincerely hope to visit the Frick again one day. For now, this is the next best thing. Thank you...again.

[@natalyamark]

Thank you!

[@mariacaterinaspada1179]

Grazie grazie grazie. Sono un'insegnante e ritrovare la storia dell'arte così ancorata alla realtà di tutti i giorni, per me è di grande insegnamento metodologico.

[@davidmasello2035]

A lovely wrap-up, with Xavier's talk of immigration and the links between Italy and America. Bravo, ancora...

[@roniquebreauxjordan1302]

👏👏👏👏👏🌎🌏🌍🗽

[@gretchengraham6266]

This was wonderful. Thank you so much!

[@lucanardecchia2859]

Wonderful, as always. So glad that you mentioned De André and the link between Italy and America.

[@ANNAANNA-kt9nm]

Fantastico come sempre.Grazie Xavier.Ci passo per andare in Riviera e un po' la conosco, ma le tue spiegazioni sono la ciliegina sulla torta.Hats off

[@huahindan]

Thank you for this

[@Leebearify]

Thank you again for such an interesting visit to Genoa and the connection to the United States. So much to see and do there. I am so lucky to be able to watch these wonderful video from Xavier over and over. I so appreciate your sharing your knowledge and expertise with us.

[@ritabiro5105]

Genova must bee seriously a town important to visit I would bee happy to see all those aristocrats treaseries painting palaces an small romantic streets and also may bee one of Van Dayks paintings and also the light tower resembling as you mentioned Liberty Statu in New York what I missed in a rush one day visit .Genova is for family reason also important an anquestor of mine was burried there.So it is not possible having the whole world and having the peace in hearts and heaven.The bridge !

[@denisedenis2907]

I wish I could visit Genova now after hearing and seeing this really interesting video. What a wonderful way to travel, if only from my sofa! Thank you.

[@dr.nicholaswood4916]

amazing how this small little Frick of a museum continues to out perform MOMA,The Met and The Musee d Orsay (Just to mention a few) in these challenging times. Bravo and a heartfelt thank you to the staff at the Frick!

[@chriscaughey1103]

As always, excellent!

[@nmattern]

So informative, so thoughtful, so dear. And to think the whole world can share these insights and feelings of shared history. Simply the best!

[@kurtk6592]

As always, thank you!

[@lorettabertoli3736]

I love love love Van Dyck! I've discovered him years ago visiting an exhibition in Milan and loved him ever since! He is (in my opinion) too much overshadowed by Rubens. Regarding Genoa, I guess I have a more complicated relationship with this city. I've been there briefly twice and I just didn't connect with it. It's not an "easy" city, so it's surely my fault. I didn't plan carefully my brief excursions there and I don't have a great memory of the "carrugi", I agree with De Andre on them. I totally will have to come back there with someone local and/or planning carefully, and of course this time visiting the museums/palaces with the Van Dyck paintings. Thanks again for the beautiful video!

[@rosemarycaruso9071]

Another brilliant talk, so interesting and informative. I really can’t thank Xavier (forgive me, I feel I know you after all these months!) enough for giving me such a wealth of knowledge.

[@luciemedici]

Genova is one of my favorite cities, was there six times 😁

[@patrickfitzgerald2861]

I'd note that the statue at the end has a much darker (and always overlooked) meaning for the people in North America who were here first.

[@markgourley910]

Many thanks. Genova/Genoa is a fascinating city. Apart from the grand palazzi in Strada Nuova, there are also the Palace of Andrea Doria, and a splendid museum in the port area telling the story of emigration to the USA.

[@christopherstromee8162]

Congratulations on your new title- much deserved! Your succinct talks have been excellent and I've viewed them all, including your colleague's. I look forward to in-person viewing at the Frick whenever that might be.

[@dawnjackson1802]

Thank you for another enjoyable and educational discussion, giving me a wealth of ideas to further research. I have forwarded this presentation to my travel agent so she can encourage her clients to visit The Frick. Elizabeth 🇨🇦

[@marilulasagna1846]

In un periodo in cui non mi é concesso tornare nel mio paese viaggiarci con la fantasia é emozionante Grazie per questa interessante visione di Genova Una città sicuramente particolare e affascinante Il paragone lanterna statua della libertà é commovente ora più che mai

[@ritabiro5105]

Mr.Salamon Genova must bee a beautiful city with middle age trasition god taste of aristocrates an their beautiful paintings.Would bee a pleasure to visit it but ofcourse having financial "zero" For mee and energie is not too much but you never know what the future and good wiil ?Liberty Staty is also something challenging for many of us.Thanks your assistance

[@tomson70]

🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼

[@robcoghan5204]

You sir are a jeweled fountain, I am surprised you didn't mention that Napoleone di Buonaparte was born of Genovese parents.

[@kaloarepo288]

But I think his ancestors were from Florence -going back to the 1500's that is but of course, he was born in Corsica which had once been owned by Genoa and Pisa.

[@robcoghan5204]

@@kaloarepo288 I believe his fathers ancestry traced to Florence, the French were ceded Corsica by Genoa under threat of further invasion this happened within days or perhaps even the day before Napoleone's birth, and his father fought the French wanting Corsica returned to Genoa. I thought the irony of Napoleone"s Italian heritage was an interesting bit.

[@kaloarepo288]

@@robcoghan5204 I think it was temporarily British or under British protection -Pasquale Paoli was an interesting figure in the fight for Corsican independence and he was backed by Britain.

[@robcoghan5204]

@@kaloarepo288 The city state system was still in place and all were pretty defenseless ,Paoli was an interesting regional character supported by N.B.'s father who subsequently saw a benefit for his children in switching sides. The main point is the greatest French leader was a pureblood Italian, and calling him Corsican is merely an obfuscation.

[@kaloarepo288]

@@robcoghan5204 Yes but Corsica is really an Italian type culture similar to Sardinia and Sicily that just happened to have been left out because the French got it!There is a story about Napoleon telling an Italian countess that he thought Italians were all scoundrels and she replied "non tutti ma in buona parte' Not all but in the main part -a play on the Italian meaning of the name "Bonaparte."

[@roniquebreauxjordan1302]

👏👏👏👏

[@leonmeyer7806]

Another insight by Xavier into a lesser-known art destination and collections. There is a virtual visit of the Palazzo Rosso here www.hvweb.net/it/foto360/genova/palazzorosso/sala-autunno/

[@susprime7018]

Prominently displayed, long, artistic fingers. I suppose if you make your living by your hand work, you are proud of them. I wonder how many great artists had short, stubby fingers and whether those fingers were artistic license.

[@cairoalexander9727]

Xavier, what is with the hands? I know sometimes it is more expensive to have the hands done right but his look like alien hands and they are his painted by him.

[@kaloarepo288]

I think "Genoa" should be used as an acceptable anglicized version of this cities name -similar to names like "Rome," Venice,"Naples" etc -and indeed Xavier himself lapses to this anglicization halfway through the video.

[@LindaLinda80Linda]

The sexiest man in the art world, today!

[@Leebearify]

Oh yes !! I really agree with you !! (blush)

[@LindaLinda80Linda]

Lee Kempter If he would only smile......

[@Leebearify]

@@LindaLinda80Linda He did an interview with Aimee where she kept him smiling almost the entire time! It was fun to see him so happy. Worth your time to check it out, only a month or so ago.

[@LindaLinda80Linda]

Lee Kempter Thank you. I will certainly look for it. Live in Manhattan?

[@Leebearify]

@@LindaLinda80Linda Unfortunately no, I am in California near San Francisco. No hope of my getting to the Frick. I was thinking how great it would be if we could get a large group to send thank you notes to him and when he comes back his office would be filled with our appreciation!

[@dustinlevans8996]

can you teach me this?

[@RobCoghanable]

I am 28% so I am 28% offended, although my reply would be along the lines of look at you the kettle..., or it takes...

[@JimOverbeckgenius]

As a consequence of the shrinkage going on since the 70’s Genoa lost almost one third of its population. In the city centre a huge share of dwelling are inhabited by elderly people living alone, causing a large under-usage of housing stock. Because of ageing, also caring-need for not autonomous elderly people increased greatly. Larger need of care is paradoxically the cause of the stabilization of demographic decrease. Since the 90’s a migrant flows of Latino women (especially from Ecuador) was employed by Italian families in care-jobs. These women compared to previous waves of international migrations (composed mostly of north-African single men) established their families in Italy contributing to a counter- trend in fertility rate and incidence of younger cohorts.