Italophilia
Michelangelo was born in Florence in 1475 and, like Leonardo, was a true Renaissance man. He was a sculptor, painter, architect, poet, and engineer who exerted an unparalleled influence on the development of Western art. He was considered the greatest living artist in his lifetime and, since then, one of the greatest artists of all time. His two best-known sculptures, the Pietà and David, are famous throughout the world. Michelangelo also created two of the most famous and influential frescoes in the history of Western art: the scenes from Genesis covering the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, and The Last Judgment on the altar wall of the Chapel.
Emanuel Glicen Romano
Emanuel Glicenstein was born in Rome on 23 September 1897. His father Henryk Glicenstein was a sculptor and he was living in Rome with his wife Helena (born Hirszenberg) when Emanuel was born. His father obtained Italian citizenship and adopted the name Enrico. Emanuel was brought up in Italy, Switzerland, Germany, England and Poland. in 1926 Emanuel and his father sailed for New York. They briefly visited Chicago. Glicenstein's sister, Beatrice, and mother joined them in New York years later. Romano changed his name when he was in America and some have erroneously thought this was to avoid Jewish discrimination. However Romano changed his name in order that he could create his own success and to avoid being accused of exploiting his father's fame. In 1936 Romano was working for the Federal Art Project creating murals (see picture). During and immediately after World War II, Romano created a series of allegorical works depicting graphic holocaust images that were held closely by the family after his passing. One of these works is in the Florida Holocaust Museum in St. Petersburg Florida.