Palazzo Strozzi Exhibition Explores Power of Fragmented Ancient Sculpture
Last week, the Palazzo Strozzi in Florence launched an exhibition that explores the profound narratives ancient fragments can convey, often surpassing those of complete artifacts. Over 80 items are showcased, including a strikingly realistic sculpture of Akhenaten's lips from the 14th century BC. These lips, described as resembling a seagull resting on a plush pillow, embody both sternness and sensuality, evoking a desire to kiss. The exhibition draws on Blaise Pascal's famous remark regarding Cleopatra VII's nose, suggesting its beauty altered history; if it had been shorter, he claimed, the world would have been different. Additionally, a damaged Mussolini sculpture illustrates how imperfection can enhance a piece's impact. The exhibit challenges Thomas Aquinas's notion that beauty lies in completeness by featuring these incomplete works.
Key facts
- An exhibition opened last week at the Palazzo Strozzi in Florence
- More than 80 objects are on display
- The show explores how ancient fragments can speak more profoundly than intact treasures
- A sculpture of Akhenaten's lips from the 14th century BC is among the highlights
- The lips are described as stern, sensuous and almost uncomfortably kissable
- Blaise Pascal wrote that Cleopatra VII's nose changed the course of history
- The exhibition includes a Mussolini with a hole in the head
- Thomas Aquinas theorized that we perceive things as beautiful when they are whole
Entities
Artists
- Akhenaten
- Cleopatra VII
- Blaise Pascal
- Thomas Aquinas
- Mussolini
Institutions
- Palazzo Strozzi
- The Guardian
Locations
- Florence
- Italy
- Egypt