Research Paper (postgraduate) from the year 2015 in the subject Art - Art of European countries, grade: ausgezeichnet, language: Italian, abstract: In the period following world war second, nationalistic and separatist trends - in the form of pseudo-patriotism or national chauvinism, extremism or religious fundamentalism - have continued to hinder the efforts of European states to overcome their ideological contradictions, creating economic and political unions. The specific for the current cultural situation, insurmountable division between humanism of the West and the East has its origins in the intercultural encounters that have elapsed since the establishment of the first relations between these major poles of the European civilization. As no country can escape the interference with her neighbors, highlight and analyze the elements that form the historic relations is essential to know how to move in the conflicting situations of the present and how to ensure that they do not repeat in the future; how to establish mutual dialogue and tolerance. In this perspective, the dependency between who we were and who we are today: in this case, the history of the Italian-Russian cultural relations has much to teach and is extremely useful for the construction of an effective policy of integration, outlining with precision the grounds of possible collaborations. Through the exploration and the correct reading of the sources, the present book aims to specify the forms in which Russians cultural texts were transferred to the West, as well as to identify the concrete artistic models of imitation, imported from Russia in Italy. The study has been carried out in the frame of the research programs of the Centre for Balkan Studies (CISBI)/Ca Foscari Venice between 2007-2015 and bases on art expertise carried out by the author since 1980-ies. The book addresses the discovery of the icon art in Russia, the history of the private and museum Russian icon art collections in Italy and the main trends in the antiquity market today. Some aspects have been deepened in single publications. One of these, the Preservation of the Russian icons in Livorno 2012was awarded the Art-con.ru prize for best report in art conservation.

1989: PhD in Byzantine and post Byzantine art history awarded by the University Paris-I Panthéon-Sorbonne/INALCO. 19836: PhD fellowship /scientific researcher in Medieval Art History of the Balkans at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. 1982: M.Sc degree in art history from the Academy of Fine Arts - Sofia. Author of three books and 25 publications on orthodox cultural heritage in Russian, French, German, Italian, English and Bulgarian, and of 27 on modern art and industrial design in Bulgarian: http://abilitazione.miur.it/public/viewCvcandidato.php?id_dom=54787 Conferences on the iconographical schools and collections of orthodox art. Lecturer at professional training courses on historic techniques and materials in oriental painting and gilding. Collaboration for the restoration of important Byzantine mosaics, of wall and easel paintings, furniture, Venetian lacquers, casein tempera ceilings, silver covers. Hundreds of expertises on eastern European ancient and modern artefacts. Top market achievement: £ 3 milliards (Venice 1999) for 16 icons by T. Poulakis Field research on the Levantine and Alpine flora on "Useful plant resources in crafts and industry". Comments to written sources on chemistry of ancient inks, tanned leather, dyed and printed textiles. Reconstruction of ancient technical recipes and development of materials of plant origin for arts&craft techniques, conservation and restoration: pigments, varnishes, lacquers, adhesives, inks, surface-active agents, solvents, biocides, impregnation and consolidation substances for mortars and paintings on different supports, for conservation of historic textiles, gildings and of gilt leather. Research on the emulsion stabilizers and natural pigments used in Europe and Africa (Ethiopia and Somalia particularly). Hundreds of works realized in varieties of tempera; in encaustic and casein painting; in emulsions, oil or in mixed techniques on different supports. Designs. Lacquers. Paintings and prints on silk. Authentic art copies. Design and realization o