Italy’s National Gallery celebrates Palma Bucarelli who was superindent for 34 years, according to ANSA.it, an Italian site. The item goes on to say: “Bucarelli – who was once described as being ”as famous as a movie star and as talked about as a politician” – was renowned for her love of controversy.” That includes Piero Manzoni’s 1961 work “Artist’s Shit” which she put on display provoking bitter debats. More from ANSA.it:

Discussing Bucarelli’s achievements, the exhibit’s curator Mariastella Margozzi highlighted her support for Italian art. ”She managed to select the best Italian art of the post-war period and bring it to public attention abroad, through collective exhibitions supported by the Foreign Ministry around the world,” said Margozzi. But as well as taking Italian art abroad, she also fuelled an interest in foreign art in Italy. ”She introduced the Italian public to the new, abstract informal art by highly prestigious European and American artists,” said Margozzi. The curator cited exhibitions on Pablo Picasso (1953), Piet Mondrian (1956) and Jackson Pollock (1958) as particularly popular events organized by Bucarelli.

Grand Dame of Italian Art Feted (ANSA)