Barbano Dir. Il Mattino, Ennio Troiano Dir.risorse umane Menarini, Pierluigi Leone De Catris, Alessandro Tosi autore

The city of Naples was the birthplace of the Menarini pharmaceutical group back in 1886, and now the company has returned to the city to pay tribute to its art and to one of its most magnificent galleries, the Museo di Capodimonte.

The star of this artistic event is Parmigianino, one of the most important figures of the Italian Renaissance and the Mannerist movement, upholding the ideals of grace and refinement. His marvellous paintings were the inspiration for the monograph presented by Menarini Pharmaceuticals.

The company has produced the traditional series of Menarini art volumes for over half a century, and this year it has collaborated with Pacini Editore to publish a monograph dedicated to Francesco Mazzola, better known as Parmigianino. The origins of his artistic name derive not only from his Parma roots, where he was born in 1503, but also his small stature and kindly features.

A painter and talented portrait artist, he was born to a family of artists including his father Filippo, and began painting in the art studio of his uncles, Pier Ilario and Michele Mazzola, from a very young age. Traces of his art are still visible in Parma, as well as in Rome, Bologna and Casalmaggiore, where he chose to be buried on his death in 1540.

However, some of Parmigianino's most important works are exhibited at the Capodimonte gallery in Naples: Portrait of Galeazzo Sanvitale, Portrait of a Young Woman (Antea), Holy Family with Saint John the Baptist, and Lucretia.

The presentation of the Parmigianino art volume at the Capodimonte gallery was made by Prof. Pierluigi Leone de Castris and the author of the volume, Prof. Alessandro Tosi.

“Thanks to the wonderful photos and superb presentation, this volume will most certainly help bring to life the figure of Parmigianino for the general public. The idea to present the volume in Naples is not only a fitting tribute to Menarini's origins but also provides a connection between the publication and the extraordinary collection of the artist's works in the Capodimonte Museum, which represents an effective, almost monographic summary, from his bright, young works such as Galeazzo Sanvitale to his more mature works produced in Rome and Emilia, including Holy Family and Antea, as well as the exquisite Mannerist style of Lucretia, the painter's final work,” commented Prof. Pierluigi Leone de Castris, Professor of History of Modern Art at Università degli Studi Suor Orsola Benincasa, who has previously specialised in Parmigianino.

Ennio Troiano dir Risorse Umane Gruppo Menarini

“Menarini was founded in Naples in Via Calabritto, in what was then called “Farmacia Internazionale”, explained Enno Troiano, Head of Corporate HR at the Menarini Group and a proud Neapolitan. “Once, the medicines produced here were used predominately to treat Italians migrating to the Americas, men and women who suffered for and supported Italy at their own cost and sacrifice during one of the most difficult periods in the country's history. The company’s headquarters then moved to Florence, where we now operate as a multinational company with a presence in over 130 countries. Our primary focus is research, specifically in the field of oncology, in the firm hope that we will discover new treatments for yet incurable diseases. Art and Italian beauty have always been part of Menarini's history, and the company has carefully curated its own series of art volumes for 60 years now. This year, we have decided to combine the presentation of the volume on Parmigianino with a visit to the Capodimonte museum, whose collection is an exceptional testament to his artistic genius. It is a way of coming back to Naples and to our origins”.

“Thanks to this volume, we have discovered an extraordinary artist who has enhanced our precious series of art volumes which date back to 1956, and which features artists from Leonardo da Vinci to Raphael, from Bronzino to Titian...”, concluded Lucia Aleotti, Chairperson of the Menarini Group.

Ennio Troiano dir.Risorse umane e Valeria Speroni Cardi Head of Corporate Press Corporate 

Click here to watch the video of the event