The National Galleries of Ancient Art present for the first time to the public in the headquarters of Galleria Corsini in Rome, a recently rediscovered masterpiece by Giorgio Vasari: the Christ Portacroce , created for the banker and collector Bindo Altoviti in 1553.

The painting is one of the peaks of the Arezzo artist's production and one of the last paintings made in Rome before his departure for Florence.

The discovery is due to Carlo Falciani, an expert scholar of Vasari painting, who recognized it in the picture recorded by Vasari in his book of Memories, indicating the date and the name of the prestigious recipient.

The painting testifies to a very important moment in the Roman activity of Vasari, then in the service of Pope Julius III and his circle.
Reported in its context, the work proves to be an exemplary case for understanding Giorgio Vasari's working practices and the peculiar characteristics of his very successful 'manner'.

On the occasion of the exhibition there will be a series of conferences on the work on display and the figure of the artist. A catalog will also be published (published by Officina Libraria) edited by Barbara Agosti and Carlo Falciani.
The exhibition and the catalog were created thanks to the collaboration and support of Benappi Fine Art. The painting was restored at the "Daniele Rossi" studio in Florence.