An avalanche of controversy from the left, promptly returned to sender. The director of the Uffizi Galleries, Eike Schmidt, spoke about the controversy sparked by the visit to the museum last Saturday by the Minister of Infrastructure and Transport Matteo Salvini, vice-president of the Council, on the eve of the convention of the European Union sovereignist parties in Florence: «All They have the opportunity to enter museums, but in dictatorships it is not like that and we are not a dictatorship. Everyone can come in here, we’re happy for everyone to come in. It’s good for everyone to see art and that makes me very happy. These days, despite it being low season, we have had a considerable number of visitors, our numbers are almost more high season than low season. If politicians also come, as well as families and visitors from foreign countries, I will be very pleased.”
«I personally greeted and welcomed Salvini who came to the museum and then brought greetings to the various delegations who had booked an evening visit in accordance with our rules and normal fees to be paid – explained Schmidt -. However, I am very happy with the interest of politics in our masterpieces because this is our culture. From a European point of view, the works we have in the Uffizi Gallery, with its masterpieces, from the Roman to the Renaissance, but also with the large collection of Flemish and Dutch paintings, underline the importance of Florence in the development of what Europe is. today.”
«Just as in the past we received heads of state from both the right and the left, just as we received politicians from the Senate and the Chamber from both the right and the left – Schmidt continued – I thought Matteo Salvini was very well chosen. The idea of starting his convention with something that is not politics, but art and culture. It’s a good sign.” Finally, Schmidt specified that he spoke with Salvini «exclusively about art. We talked and admired some works together because afterwards he received his guests and I had another meeting at Palazzo Pitti. We looked together at the Majesty of All Saints by Giotto, we naturally admire Botticelli.” Schmidt is seen as a strong center-right name to try to challenge the left in the next local elections in Florence.
Source: IL Tempo
Emma Fitzgerald is an accomplished political journalist and author at The Nation View. With a background in political science and international relations, she has a deep understanding of the political landscape and the forces that shape it.
