Tapestries

Most of the Foundation's major public events are held in the grand hall of the novitiate of the former Benedictine monastery. The room is spectacularly decorated by the large tapestries acquired by Vittorio Cini in the 30's to furnish the Castle of Monselice. (The castle was restored under the direction of Nino Barbantini in accordance with the vision of the times, that is, in an attempt to recreate the ambience of that 'viver civile' of an ancient Veneto manor inhabited on the mainland for centuries.)
Particular mention goes to the series of four late-16th-century tapestries depicting the Stories of Scipio the Africanus: three with Brussels trademarks by the tapestry-maker Martin Reynbouts, and a fourth, co-ordinated with the others, by Enghien.
A great deal of interest has been shown in the history of these tapestries and, while the details are still to be ascertained, research has brought numerous illustrious Venetian collections to the forefront. The series was still in the catalogue of the Donà dalle Rose collection in 1934. In 1940, it was published in the monograph on Monselice by Nino Barbantini, for whom the series, along with a good part of the collection's tapestries, had been purchased by Vittorio Cini from General Gallieni of Cannes.