Mercati di Traiano celebrate Constantine the Great

Once again, Rome is celebrating the 1,700 years since the Edict of Milan, which which Emperor Constantine the Great, who was born in Nis in what is now Serbia, declared the end of religious persecution and proclaimed the empire's neutrality towards all creeds.

After the archeological exhibit at Milan's Palazzo Reale and the Rome's Colosseum, which featured objects on loan from Serbian museums, now the capital is hosting a show by contemporary Belgrade artist Veljko Mihajlovic, at the Mercati di Traiano Museum.

Titled ''Konstantin, the Edict of Constantine, 1700 years later'', the show includes a rich and complete body of etchings by the artist, curator Jelena Jovanovic told ANSAmed: ''Forty-seven graphic works taken from the cycle of Constantine and Helena, which is made up of 80 aquatint etchings made by the artist in 2012. This show is the continuation of the already intense dialogue linking Italy to Serbia''.

This is another chance to find out about the history of the Balkan country that was the birthplace of 16 Roman emperors, including Constantine.

''With this show, Serbian embassy in Italy wanted to pay a tribute to the figure of Constantine the Great in a contemporary key'', Jovanovic explained.

''Jovanovic, who works in Belgrade and is known for his aquatint etchings, has a very intimate and different vision of the emperor and his mother, Helena''.

The exhibit is promoted by Rome city, the Serbian embassies to Italy and to the Holy See, and the Vatican's cultural council. It opens this afternoon at 6pm, in the presence of Italian Foreign Minister Emma Bonino and ambassadors Ana Hrustanovic and Mirko Jelic.

The Mihajlovic show opens to the public on November 29, and will remain on view through January 12, 2014.

Source: ANSA [November 28, 2013]