Siena: 'Agostinians in the land of Siena', a traveling exhibition, conferences and study days.

The Bibliographic exhibition will be held on August 3th in Montepulciano before also touching Asciano and Siena.

In a conference at Media Center Sassoli it has been presented 'Augustinians in the land of Siena', exhibition of engravings, ancient books and watercolours. Speakers included Federica Fratoni, regional councilor and member of the Presidency Office, Elena Rosignoli, regional councilor, the mayors Michele Angiolini (Montepulciano) and Giacomo Grazi (Torrita di Siena), the deputy mayor of Asciano Lucia Angelini, Don Domenico Zafarana, president of the Institute for the Valorization of Historic Abbeys of Tuscany, Fausto Rossi president of the Tuscan Bibliographic Society, Stefano Selleri president of Rotary.

The initiative took the form of a traveling exhibition and a series of conferences and study days on Sant'Agostino and on the importance of the Augustinian monks in the lands of Siena. The appointments will be held in the months of August, September and October 2024 and will involve the municipalities of Montepulciano, Asciano, Siena, Torrita di Siena and Montalcino.

“Augustinians in the land of Siena” is an event promoted by the Tuscan Bibliographic Society, in collaboration with the Institute for the Valorization of the Historic Abbeys of Tuscany (ISVAST), with the patronage of a large and prestigious number of bodies and institutions, including the Regional Council of Tuscany .

The initiative stands out for its high cultural and research value, and will be an opportunity to present and disseminate the important study work carried out by the association on the presence and activity of the Augustinian Order and its Congregations in the territories of the province of Siena.

“The exhibition allows us to learn even better about the history of our territory – said Federica Fratoni member of the Presidential Office – and the indelible mark left on it by the Augustinian Order. I would like to thank all the local authorities and institutions that allow projects of high cultural and scientific value to be carried out, and I want to highlight that the Regional Council is always at the forefront in promoting culture and profound knowledge of our history."

“This is an event of great importance for the whole of Tuscany, which testifies to the presence of the Augustinians in the land of Siena – said regional councilor Elena Rosignoli – and involves many municipalities: from Asciano to Montepulciano, from Torrita di Siena to Montalcino. An initiative of high cultural value and we must thank the Tuscan Bibliographic Society and the Institute for Historical Abbeys of Tuscany for their commitment and research. There will also be an exhibition and a conference at the State Archives of Siena.”

“A very positive experience that we are going to repeat after the success of the 'Montepulciano city of ancient and rare books' initiative where we registered a lot of interest – said the mayor of Montepulciano Michele Angiolini – and the collaboration with the Poliziani high schools continues. I am sure that the new project will allow us to achieve equally important objectives for our city."

“The work of the Institute of Historic Abbeys of Tuscany continues to propose initiatives of great cultural level – said the mayor of Torrita di Siena Giacomo Grazi – which we firmly adhere to and which carry out studies and conferences on the history of Tuscany and our territories.”

“An exhibition that tells and enhances a territory – according to the deputy mayor of Asciano Lucia Angelini – and allows us to grasp the importance and centrality of our municipality in the history of the Augustinian monks. I would also like to underline the fruitful collaboration with the Venerabile Misericordia of Asciano which collaborated with the administration to organize the conference.”

The Bibliographic Exhibition will begin next August 3 in Montepulciano, with its inaugural conference in the presence of civil and religious authorities, inside the fourteenth-century Church of Sant'Agostino. In addition to engravings and ancient books, a series of contemporary watercolors by the well-known architect Massimo Tosi reproducing Augustinian churches and convents in the provinces of Florence, Arezzo and Siena will be exhibited.

The exhibition will move to Asciano, hosted inside Palazzo Corboli from the August 31 to the September 29 and, finally, in Siena, inside the State Archives, until 13 October. In addition to the traveling exhibition in Montepulciano, Asciano and Siena, there will be moments of in-depth analysis, study days and lectio magistralis which will involve, in addition to the municipalities mentioned, also the centers of Montefollonico (fraction of Torrita di Siena) on 15 September, Siena (church of San Martino) the 3 October, Torrita di Siena, at the former Simmatine convent on 20 October and, finally, Montalcino, Episcopal Seminary, on 3 November.

“A great opportunity to enhance aspects of our history – said the president of the historic abbeys Don Domenico Zafarana – which sees us involved this year for the Augustinian Order, next year for the Dominican Order and in 2026 with the Franciscan Order. An initiative that has national relevance due to its historical and artistic value.”

“It is an initiative that tends to enhance the importance of books for the knowledge of our history – said Fausto Rossi, president of the Tuscan Bibliographic Society – and the dissemination aspect of our activity, where particular attention to teaching and school prevails. Saint Augustine is a figure of extraordinary importance in the history of the Church and Western philosophy, and the Augustinian friars have played a significant role in promoting spiritual and cultural values ​​in our region and the territory of the province of Siena.”

“Our association is interested in spreading the culture of ancient books – said Stefano Selleri, president of Rotary – not only in Italy, but throughout the world, and for this reason we willingly joined this interesting cultural project.”

“We welcome a small bibliographic exhibition in our spaces – said the director of the State Archives of Siena Cinzia Cardinali – and we have been collaborating for some time with the Tuscan Bibliographic Society to raise awareness of the rich medieval heritage, and not only, of our archive.”

The initiative is promoted by “Tuscan Bibliographic Society”, in collaboration with the Institute for the valorisation of the historic abbeys of Tuscany (ISVAST), with the contribution and patronage of a rich series of institutional and cultural partners, including the Regional Council of Tuscany, the Diocese of Montepulciano - Chiusi – Pienza; the Archdiocese of Siena – Colle Val d'Elsa – Montalcino; the Municipalities of Montepulciano, Asciano, Montalcino and Torrita di Siena; the University of Siena and the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, as well as a strong collaboration with research institutes, associations and cultural partners at local and national level.