The Wall Street Journal-20080131-An Artistic Taste of Italy in Virginia

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An Artistic Taste of Italy in Virginia

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"Painting the Italian Landscape: Views from the Uffizi"; through March 23 at The Muscarelle Museum of Art/The College of William & Mary, Williamsburg, Va.; www.wm.edu/muscarelle/exhibitions.php or 757- 221-2700

Though the monumental rooms and endless long halls of Florence's Uffizi Gallery are nowhere in sight, a tasting of the museum's astounding collection can be sampled at this comprehensive exhibit, which traces the evolution of landscape painting in Italy from the 16th to early 20th century. This traveling show, curated by the Uffizi's director, Antonio Natali, features more than 40 works, among them Claude Lorrain's "Landscape With the Dance of Farmers" (c. 1637), Filippo d'Angeli's "Picnic on the Grass" (1619) and Botticelli's "Adoration of the Magi" (1500). In addition, on display at this venue only, is a special exhibit of five paintings on loan from the Lauro Collection in Naples, including the rediscovered "Apollo in the Forge of Vulcan" (1630) by Velazquez.