Villa Farnesina in Europe

On Tuesday, June 24, 2014 at 16:30, the Minister of Economy and Finance, Pier Carlo Padoan, attended the ceremony of presentation to the media of the coin struck by the Italian national mint – Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato – to celebrate the Semester of Italian Presidency of the EU Council, with the participation of Lamberto Maffei, president of the Accademia dei Lincei, and of Alberto Quadrio Curzio, the Academy’s vice-president. The ceremony took place on the first day of issue of the coin at the Palazzina dell’Auditorio in the premises of Villa Farnesina, Via della Lungara 230, a location made available for the occasion by the Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei also to offer an opportunity to admire the fresco of the “Loggia of Cupid and Psyche” and the portrait of Ceres that has inspired the coin engraver, the artist Annalisa Masini. Thanks to the cooperation of ESA, ASI and the Italian Air Force, Italian astronauts Luca Parmitano, ambassador of the Semester of Italian Presidency of the EU Council, and Samantha Cristoforetti, the first Italian and European woman selected for a long-term mission, who shall also be “the ambassador of the coin in space”, could also participate via a special connection.

Detail with Ceres, Loggia of Cupid and Psyche by Raphael and his workshop (1518)

Detail with Ceres, Loggia of Cupid and Psyche by Raphael and his workshop (1518)

Obverse of the coin with the detail of the portrait of Ceres

Obverse of the coin with the detail of the portrait of Ceres

The Rape of Europa by Paolo Caliari called ‘il Veronese’ (1580-85), Capitoline Picture Gallery – Rome

The Rape of Europa by Paolo Caliari called ‘il Veronese’ (1580-85), Capitoline Picture Gallery – Rome

Reverse of the coin with the detail of the Rape of Europa by Veronese

Reverse of the coin with the detail of the Rape of Europa by Veronese