Resumen de Popolo e patria nei sipari italiani (1848-1871)
In Italian theatres in the 19th century the representation of history painting on stage curtains enjoyed great popularity. With the growing trend of historical Romanticism, allegorical and mythological themes, characteristic of the late 18th century, were replaced by numerous episodes and heroes of the Medieval and Renaissance past. Before the Unification of Italy these alluded more or less explicitly to the current aspirations for freedom; after 1861 they celebrated the origins and the values of the newly-founded Nation. In this context, the author discusses the rare examples of explicitly patriotic stage curtains, connected with the events which marked the rapid development of Italian histroy between 1848 and 1871.
