The exhibition was more than just a cultural event; it was a carefully choreographed exercise in fascist propaganda. The Italian government used the exhibition to promote a specific narrative about Italy's cultural and historical significance, emphasizing the country's contributions to Western civilization.

. The mission was not purely artistic but a high-stakes tool of political propaganda intended to soften the American public's perception of Italy. Key Highlights of the Story The Exhibition : The primary destination was the Golden Gate International Exposition in San Francisco. A "Fictional" Reality

Raffaello On The Road. Rinascimento E Propaganda Fascista In America (1938-40)

Instead of returning to Florence, the painting—along with the entire collection—was placed under "protective custody" by the U.S. Treasury Department. For six months, Raphael sat in a vault in Cambridge, a hostage of geopolitics.

How to explain the invasion of a sovereign African nation? The exhibition slyly included maps of the Roman Empire alongside Renaissance maps. The suggestion was that empire—conquest—is the natural state of Italian genius. The St. George was a crusader. The soldiers in Addis Ababa were crusaders, too.