Photo: pxhere.com (CC0 Public Domain)
Messina-1908 exhibition dedicated to Russian sailors who rescued residents of the Italian city of Messina, suffered from a large-scale earthquake in 1908, is opened in Russian House in Rome. The exhibition includes 28 black-and-white canvases painted by Russian artist Varvara Izotova, TASS reported.
The conference showcased previously undisclosed archive materials and photographs just before the exhibit opening. Varvara Izotova said that
the bravery of Russian sailors, risking their lives to help the city, is a heroic and a bright chapter in the relationship between the two countries.
According to her, the story is not widely known in Italy, and the purpose of the paintings and the exhibition in Rome was to tell the story of the tragic and heroic events. The earthquake that struck southern Italy in late December 1908 killed more than half of Messina's 160,000 population.
However, the death toll could have been much longer if not the help of Russian sailors who arrived at the shores of Italy on warships of the Baltic Fleet as part of a training cruise. In the course of less than a week, their efforts saved more than 2,000 people.
Russkiy Mir
