Foreword

Written by  Alfredo Santini
This fourth number of Ferrara. Voci di una città is devoted almost exclusively to a survey of the artistic problems that will concern the city in 1996 and the large scale bibliographical projects sponsored by the Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Ferrara.

This issue includes reviews of books on Ercole de' Roberti, whose centenary it is this year; Guglielmo Giraldi, a publication that marks the continuation of a series - undertaken in collaboration with the Istituto di Studi Rinascimentali - on the art in the Este period and Dosso Dossi.

Then there are two long articles on Filippo de Pisis, the enormously talented Ferrarese painter whose centenary also falls this year, in commemoration of which an exhibition of his works is due to open in Ferrara this autumn.
This year will also witness a cultural event that Ferrara, and indeed the whole world, is awaiting with baited breath: the opening - albeit only in part - of the museum of Spina, soon to reopen its doors after a very long closure. This will mark the definitive recovery of Ferrara's status as one of Italy' most important cities of art.

We will also be talking about the work on the church of Santa Maria in Vado - sponsored by the Foundation - which will restore the façade of Rossetti's basilica to all its former beauty.
Ferrara the workshop, therefore; Ferrara the city where culture has always been seen as both resource and inheritance; Ferrara the city that has refused to relinquish
its role as witness to the most fascinating and sumptuous poeriod of its long history, a history that extends into the second Nineteenth century Renaissance that was the Metaphisical movement and the paintings of Filippo de Pisis.

Finally, we will deal with the economic development of Ferrara and its territory, and the environment, considered both as a cultural and economic resource: two critical and controversial themes, analysed with a very high degree of freedom - as it is a custom on this magazine - by noted professionals.