China and Italy Launch Landmark Art Encyclopedia

The world's two countries with the most UNESCO World Heritage sites just made it easier for everyone to explore their artistic treasures from home.

China and Italy launched the China-Italy Cultural Encyclopedia: Art at the 32nd Beijing International Book Fair on June 21. The ambitious project unites the Encyclopedia of China Publishing House and Italy's Istituto Treccani, bringing together top art historians from both nations to celebrate their contributions to human creativity.

The encyclopedia marks a milestone in cultural cooperation between nations whose artistic exchanges date back over 2,000 years to the Han Dynasty and ancient Rome. Italian cultural counselor Federico Roberto Antonelli called it an achievement that "will be recorded in the history of cultural exchanges between the two countries."

The project began with Italian Ambassador Massimo Ambrosetti's vision and grew into something remarkable. Massimo Osanna, director general of museums at Italy's Ministry of Culture, led the Italian edition while Peking University's Peng Feng guided the Chinese version.

Both editions showcase how two civilizations on opposite sides of the world developed the most mature forms of Eastern and Western classical culture. Professor Wen Zheng from Beijing Foreign Studies University noted that Chinese and Italian people share "similar and resonant perceptions of culture and art."

The Ripple Effect

This collaboration creates a model for international publishing cooperation that goes beyond borders. Gao Shiyi, president of the Encyclopedia of China Publishing House, explained that setting up an international editorial board lets countries share academic resources and expertise in ways that benefit readers everywhere.

The encyclopedia arrives as cultural exchange between China and Italy reaches new heights. Recent collaborations include major exhibitions like "Homage to the Virtuosos: From Leonardo da Vinci to Caravaggio" at the National Art Museum of China and China's presence at the Venice Biennale.

Readers can now explore millennia of artistic achievement while strengthening the cultural friendship between two nations that have shaped human history.