Rome's Antica Biblioteca di Trinità dei Monti Reopens with 'Hypothèse de lecture' Featuring 40 Artists
After undergoing restoration, Rome's Antica Biblioteca di Trinità dei Monti has reopened its doors, showcasing 'Hypothèse de lecture' from 19 September to 7 November 2026. Curated by Gaia Bobò and Teresa Ranchino, the exhibition features works from both Italian and French artists, aligning with the cultural vision of director Marie-Pierre Dabadie. The library, which once housed 9,000 volumes, suffered damage in 1798, with only a wooden ceiling surviving. Restoration efforts commenced in 2003 in collaboration with the Vatican Museums, and Belgian architect Olivier Goethals introduced a 'ghost library' design. Bobò highlighted that the project pays tribute to the library's legacy, engaging forty artists to delve into themes of knowledge and memory. The opening took place on 18 September at Piazza della Trinità dei Monti 3, Rome.
Key facts
- Antica Biblioteca di Trinità dei Monti in Rome reopened after a major restoration begun in 2003 with Vatican Museums laboratories
- Exhibition 'Hypothèse de lecture' curated by Gaia Bobò and Teresa Ranchino opened 18 September and runs 19 September to 7 November 2026
- 40 Italian and French artists participate, focusing on emerging Rome and Paris scenes
- The library held about 9,000 volumes until the late 18th century; the collection was dispersed in 1798
- Belgian architect Olivier Goethals designed a temporary 'ghost library' structure for the space
- Director Marie-Pierre Dabadie initiated the new contemporary cultural direction
- The project coincides with the 70th anniversary of the Rome-Paris twinning
- Venue address: Piazza della Trinità dei Monti 3, Rome
Entities
Artists
- Gaia Bobò
- Teresa Ranchino
- Marie-Pierre Dabadie
- Olivier Goethals
- Alberte Agerskov
- Edoardo Aruta
- Charlie Aubry
- Alix Boillot
- Dario Carratta
- Valeria Carrieri
- Giulio Catelli
- Henri Chetaille
- Taisiia Cherkasova
- Ginevra Collini
- Max Coulon
- Giulia Crivellaro
- Anna de Castro Barbosa
- Federica Di Pietrantonio
- Marco Emmanuele
- Marco Eusepi
- Elisa Florimond
- Clédia Fourniau
- Pierre Gaignard
- Luca Grechi
- Carla Gueye
- Ruoxi Jin
- Charlie Jouan
- Amalia Laurent
- Giuseppe Lo Cascio
- Guglielmo Maggini
- Matisse Mesnil
- Paul F. Millet
- Diego Miguel Mirabella
- Pietro Moretti
- Alexandre Nitzsche Cysne
- Lulù Nuti
- Flavio Orlando
- Francesca Pionati
- Andrea Polichetti
- Valentine Prissette
- Alexander Raczka
- Luca Resta
- Théophile Stern
- Vaste Programme
- Valentina Muzi
- Daniele Molajoli
- Francesco di Paola
- Umberto Eco
- Edoardo Brunetti
Institutions
- Antica Biblioteca di Trinità dei Monti
- Order of Minimi
- Vatican Museums
- Artribune
- Trinità dei Monti
- Pieux Établissements de la France à Rome et à Lorette
- Musei Vaticani
- CONTEMPORALIS Association Amis Art Contemporain France-Italie
- Carré sur Seine
- Bibliotheca Hertziana – Istituto Max Planck per la Storia dell’Arte
- Accademia di Francia a Roma – Villa Medici
- La Società delle Api
- Roma Capitale
- exibart.com
- Antica Biblioteca della Trinità dei Monti
- Complesso conventuale dei Minimi
- Bibliotheca Hertziana – Istituto Max Planck per la Storia dell'Arte
- Comune di Roma
- ATP DIARY
Locations
- Rome
- Italy
- Paris
- France
- Piazza della Trinità dei Monti
- Piazza di Spagna