«Con grave pericolo di vita». Francesco Verlengia e la salvaguardia del patrimonio artistico durante la Seconda guerra mondiale

Abstract

The contribution explores the actions taken to safeguard and protect the artistic heritage of Abruzzo during and after the Second World War, with a particular focus on the works on temporary loan from the Galleria Nazionale d’Arte Moderna in Rome and on the crucial role of Francesco Verlengia, whose dedication to the protection of works of art and the promotion of local culture emerges as an emblematic example of civic and cultural commitment. Through a detailed analysis of archive documents, the work illustrates the methodologies adopted to prevent the destruction and looting of works of art during a period of intense conflict and in the immediate post-war period, as well as the relations between the Province of Chieti, the Superintendency of L’Aquila and the National Gallery of Modern Art at the dawn of the newly established Provincial Art Gallery of Chieti.