Exhibit Honors Popes (NAPSA)—A new exhibit of papal portraits from the last five centuries is an extraordinary collection of papal images by the foremost portrait artists from the Renaissance to today. The 75 Italian masterpieces, Papi in Posa: 500 Years of Papal Portraiture, are on display at the Pope John Paul II Cultural Center through March 30, 2006. The exhibit has been called a magnificent assembly of Italian portraiture art that depicts the popes in various styles, from idealized and classical to even very realistic. Works by artists such as Gian Lorenzo Bernini, Louis Cousin, and Giacomo Manzu have been assembled from several prestigious private collections and world-class museums, including the Vatican Museums and the Uffizi Gallery in Florence. One section is dedicated to Pope John Paul II with realistic works by Natalia Tsarkova, his official portrait artist. Included are four sketches of John Paul II lying in state after his death. Papi in Posa is shown for the first time in the United States at the Cultural Center. The show’s only other exhibition was in Rome. For more information, call 202- 635-5400 or visit www.jp2cc.org.
