Atlante Farnese to Represent Italy at Expo 2025 Osaka

The Farnese Atlas, a 2nd-century AD Roman marble copy of a Hellenistic original, will be the centerpiece of the Italian Pavilion at Expo 2025 in Osaka. The nearly two-meter-tall statue (1.85 m including base, weighing almost 20 quintals) depicts the Titan Atlas bearing the celestial sphere on his shoulders. It was acquired in 1562 by Cardinal Alessandro Farnese for 255 scudi and restored by Guglielmo della Porta, who added missing legs, arms, and face. The statue later passed to the Bourbon family and was moved to Naples in the late 18th century, entering the collections of the future Real Museo Borbonico (now MANN) in 1816. This will be the first time the Farnese Atlas travels to Asia. The Italian Pavilion, designed by Mario Cucinella, is inspired by the Renaissance Ideal City. Minister of Culture Gennaro Sangiuliano emphasized the statue's role in promoting Italian culture globally. The globe features detailed astronomical carvings, including the zodiac signs, equinoxes, solstices, and the so-called 'Comet of Caesar,' reflecting Hellenistic astronomical knowledge based on Hipparchus of Bithynia. The statue likely served didactic purposes and may have been used as a sundial.