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The echoes of Rome, trapped in marble for centuries, are about to speak to North American audiences in an unprecedented exhibition, that will make a stop in Cowtown next September.
“Myth and Marble: Ancient Roman Sculpture from the Torlonia Collection” will make its way across the continent, bringing with it some of the most important and hidden treasures of the Roman Empire, according to a release. These sculptures, drawn from the largest private collection of Roman antiquities in the world, will be seen for the first time outside of Europe in 2025, marking a pivotal moment in the art world’s calendar.
It all begins at the Art Institute of Chicago, where the show will debut on March 15, 2025, before making its way to the Kimbell Art Museum here, and later to the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts. Each venue will host the collection of 58 masterpieces, some of which have not been displayed in public for nearly a century. Among them are iconic works of Roman portraiture, imperial power, and divine mythology, all painstakingly restored over the past several years.
But what makes this tour truly special is the story behind the Torlonia Collection itself — a testament to the passion and vision of one family. The Torlonia legacy began in the 19th century when banker Prince Giovanni Torlonia and his son Alessandro began acquiring works from the most influential collections of Roman patricians, alongside sculptures excavated from their own estates. The result is an unparalleled trove of Roman art, one that has remained relatively unseen by the public for decades. It wasn’t until 2020 that the world got its first taste when the Torlonia Collection was showcased in Rome. The forthcoming North American tour offers a new generation this same opportunity.
For the curators — Lisa Ayla Çakmak and Katharine A. Raff, both from the Art Institute of Chicago— this exhibition is the culmination of a lifelong ambition to share these remarkable works with a wider audience.
As Çakmak explains, "These sculptures are not just about the past; they speak to us in the present. They're stories carved into stone, and it’s our privilege to bring these stories to new audiences."
The exhibition is organized thematically, beginning with “Icons of the Torlonia Collection,” which includes the famous “Portrait of a Young Woman,” known as the Maiden of Vulci, a stunning example of Roman portraiture from the early Augustan period. From there, the show moves into sections dedicated to imperial portraits, funerary sculpture, and gods and goddesses of the Roman world. Each sculpture offers a window into the power structures, beliefs, and personal identities of ancient Rome. The “Imperial Portraits” section, for instance, highlights the women of Rome's elite families — figures often overlooked in classical scholarship, yet central to the political machinery of the time.
But perhaps the most thrilling part of the exhibition is its focus on "Exceptional Restorations." The Torlonia Foundation has painstakingly restored over 150 sculptures, some of which had been languishing in pieces for centuries. The exhibition includes works like the “Rondanini Type Medusa,” which has been transformed into a complete object by combining fragments that may have been separated for centuries. The collaboration with Bvlgari, a sponsor of the restoration, ensures that these masterpieces are preserved for future generations while being shared with the world today.
The exhibition's presence in North America is a milestone not just for the Torlonia Foundation, but for art lovers everywhere.
Eric Lee, director of the Kimbell Art Museum, sums it up perfectly: “This is a rare opportunity to witness ancient Roman sculpture in all its grandeur. For us at the Kimbell, it’s an honor to be part of this historic exhibition."