Antonietta Raphaël Retrospective at Galleria Nazionale di Roma

The Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Moderna e Contemporanea in Rome presents a retrospective dedicated to Antonietta Raphaël, a leading figure of the Scuola romana. Curated by Giorgia Calò and Alessandra Troncone, with scientific supervision by Giulia Mafai and collaboration by Ariel Mafai Giorgi, the exhibition brings together a corpus of surreal works. Raphaël, born in Kaunas in 1895 and died in Rome in 1975, was the wife of Mario Mafai. Her style is characterized by vivid brushstrokes, rough and chiseled surfaces, a naïve touch reminiscent of Rousseau, Fauvist color combinations, and a sculptural plasticity that is tormented, detailed, irresistible, and tactile. The exhibition explores thematic threads including self-portraiture, femininity and maternity, her Jewish origins, and her relationships with key figures such as Giacomo Manzù, Renato Guttuso, Katy Castellucci, and Helenita Olivares. Cristiana Collu, Director of the Galleria Nazionale, describes Raphaël's life as one that 'poured into shaping matter, hard as stone and rosewood or soft as clay or color paste on canvas.' The show is titled 'Attraverso lo specchio' (Through the Looking-Glass), referencing Lewis Carroll's work, and uses the mirror as a metaphor for self-reflection, wonder, and dismay.