A major show on Lord of the Rings author J.R.R. Tolkien opens on Thursday at the National Gallery of Modern Art (GNAM) in Rome and runs until February 11.
The show, 'Tolkien, Man, Professor, Author,' marks the 50th anniversary of his death and the 50th anniversary of the first Italian edition of his first major work The Hobbit.
Tolkien is a foundational author for the Italian political right and Culture Minister Gennaro Sangiulano said at the premiere Wednesday that he would be "happy" to show Premier Giorgia Meloni around it whenever she decides to come.
Meloni, like most budding rightist militants, attended Hobbit Camps in her youth and celebrated an author the right revered for his portrayal of the eternal battle between good and evil.
Sangiuliano played down political attacks on the show as celebrating rightwing Italian culture saying he had no time for "petty polemics" and noting both that the Hollywood films of the Lord of the Rings saga were a global smash and that figures ranging from former Democratic US President Barack Obama to ex Beatle Paul McCartney had publicly voiced their love for the South-African-born, Birmingham-raised author.
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