News & Events

International Arts Festival 2010

This year’s International Arts Festival took place from 28 August to 4 September 2010 and featured artists from several countries including Belgium, Germany, Sweden, the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada.

Now in its fifth year, the Festival focuses on bringing world class international artists to Capri to perform in the historic spaces of the Certosa. This year’s programme included jazz, classical music, drama, dance and film. For more details, click on "International Arts Festival 2010" above. 

Digital Photograph of the Lunette

Last year, the Friends financed the production of a digital photograph of the Lunette, the 14th century fresco over the doorway of the Chapel illustrating the foundation of the Certosa. The fresco, dated c.1371 and attributed to the Florentine painter  Nicolà Di Tommaso, depicts Queen Joanna I of Naples praying to the Madonna and Child while Count Giacomo Arcucci, nobleman of Capri, presents a model of the Certosa to the holy family.

The new, high quality digital photograph was utilised as one of the illustrations in Nancy Goldstone’s new biography of Queen Joanna entitled “The Lady Queen”, published in 2009. 

Restoration of the Diefenbach Paintings

Thanks to the efforts of the Soprintendenza, another painting by the great German artist Karl Diefenbach has been restored. The newly restored painting, hanging in the Saletta of the Refectory, is the first of many requiring urgent attention. One of the objectives of the Friends is to help raise funds to support the continuation of the restoration programme.  

Canadian Committee

The Friends of the Certosa di Capri have established a Canadian Committee chaired by Dr. Carla Bonora Cianciaruso of Ottawa, Canada. The objective of the Canadian Committee is to foster support for the work of the Friends from individuals and corporations resident in Canada.

Restoration of the Chapel

The Chapel and its splendid frescoes were recently restored by a team of specialists led by Dr. Laura Giusti of the Soprintendenza per i Beni Architettonici e Paesaggistici di Napoli e Provincia. The restoration work, which lasted more than two years, added a new dimension to the historic spaces of the Certosa and provided the venue for the opening night of the 2009 International Arts Festival (see opposite).
 

 German Committee

The Friends have also established a German Committee chaired by Dr. Stefanie Sonnentag of Capri, Italy, whose objective is to foster support for the work of the Friends from individuals and corporations resident in German speaking countries.