MAASTRICHT.- In the Caves of the Château Neercanne, the world’s eminent curators, patrons, and collectors held their breaths. In a historical moment, the Colnaghi Foundation announced an unprecedented partnership: together with the Vatican Apostolic Library, the Foundation will undertake a series of groundbreaking conservation projects at the Vatican, commencing with the renovation of the Archives of the Vatican Apostolic Library.

The project, made possible by Colnaghi, will receive major funding from the Association of the Patrons of the Vatican Apostolic Library, a sub-charity of the Colnaghi Foundation.

“Every year, the Colnaghi Annual Dinner brings together central figures of the museum world to celebrate Old Masters and Antiquities," said Jorge Coll, Principal at Colnaghi. "This year's event is dedicated to the Colnaghi Foundation to celebrate the announcement of the new historical partnership with the Vatican Apostolic Library for a series of innovative, inspiring and momentous projects together.”

Candida Lodovica de Angelis Corvi, Director of the Colnaghi Foundation and Partner at Colnaghi remarked: “It is a reason of great pride and honour to be able to bring together under our Charity a new enlightened group of Patrons, united by a collective spirit to safeguard the library’s extensive collection of rare manuscripts, books, and historical documents, ensuring their continued accessibility for future generations of scholars, historians, and researchers. The Vatican Apostolic Library is one of the richest knowledge repositories in the world, representing through its holdings all religions, cultures, and documents in more than 150 languages, making it a place of deep inter-cultural and inter-religious dialogue. At this time in history the urgency to break historical bias and unite in a common dialogue of understanding couldn’t be more timely.”

The Château Neercanne dinner, held annually by Colnaghi during the European Fine Art Fair (TEFAF) in Maastricht, unites two hundred of the world’s most important Old Masters museum curators, patrons, and collectors. Held in the stone-carved Caves of the former residence of the Governor of Maastricht, now a hotel renowned for its gastronomy, the dinner has been a fixture of the prestigious TEFAF fair for over 10 years. This year’s dinner was dedicated to the Colnaghi Foundation and the announcement of its historic partnership with the Vatican Apostolic Library.

Jorge Coll and Candida Lodovica de Angelis Corvi were joined by Luigina Orlandi from the Vatican Library to present the project. After an introduction of the partnership, Signora Orlandi gave a fascinating overview of the history of the Vatican Apostolic Library and of the staggering scope of their collections, delving into the Library’s rare holdings of Ancient Papyruses, early editions of Virgil, and Japanese manuscripts. Signora Orlandi’s speech beautifully highlighted the importance of the Vatican Apostolic Library for all of humanity.

Concluding with an announcement of the inauguration of the Association of the Patrons of the Vatican Apostolic Library, Candida Lodovica de Angelis Corvi invited the Foundation’s esteemed guests to dinner. As people made their way through candle-light tunnels to their tables, the Château’s Caves filled with excitement about the project as astute patrons made enquiries and pledges for the important cause of cultural preservation.