Composers in Fresco

During the 2023 edition of the Anghiari Festival, Fabrizio Ruggiero paid tribute to the musical heritage at the heart of the event by producing a cycle of six large-format fresco portraits dedicated to iconic composers: Ludwig van Beethoven, Johannes Brahms, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Giuseppe Verdi, Alessandro Scarlatti, and Joseph Haydn.

Executed through his distinctive analytical fresco technique—where form emerges through stratified layers of lime, pigment, and time—Ruggiero’s portraits transcend physical likeness to evoke the inner rhythm, spiritual intensity, and enduring resonance of each composer’s legacy. The works were exhibited in the historic Palazzo Pretorio, the former Town Hall of Anghiari, forming a visual and conceptual counterpoint to the Festival’s orchestral programme.

Extending the project beyond the singularity of the original frescoes, Ruggiero produced a limited edition of 100 fine art prints for each composer, which he entirely donated to support the Southbank Sinfonia, the orchestra at the core of the Anghiari Festival. This gesture of cultural patronage underscores a shared vision in which music and visual art converge as collective acts—rooted in generosity, continuity, and the transmission of artistic heritage across disciplines and generations.