Carlo Maria Mariani's 'I Segni dei Tempi' at Capodimonte
The Museo e Real Bosco di Capodimonte in Naples presents 'I Segni dei Tempi. Carlo Maria Mariani a Capodimonte', an exhibition dedicated to the late Italian painter Carlo Maria Mariani (1931-2021), curated by Antonio Martino and Andrea Viliani, on view until September 8, 2026. The show marks the donation of the titular painting, which unites the figures of Raphael and Marcel Duchamp, reflecting Mariani's conceptual approach to classical and Renaissance traditions. Mariani, a key figure of the 'Pittura colta' movement of the 1980s, is celebrated for his anachronistic and citational style. The exhibition features eight works from private collections, including 'Iper/ri/cognizione 2' (1974), 'Orfeo' (1979), 'Ercole che riposa' (1976), 'Composizione 5' and 'Dopo il bagno' (both 1989), and 'Gentil' and 'Gaia' (1974). It also includes rare editions of volumes on Duchamp and Joseph Beuys. The show marks Mariani's symbolic return to Naples, where he exhibited at Studio Trisorio in 1978. Mariani's practice, influenced by theosophy and esotericism, is described by Viliani as condensing all art history. The exhibition is part of Capodimonte's ongoing engagement with contemporary art.
Key facts
- Exhibition 'I Segni dei Tempi. Carlo Maria Mariani a Capodimonte' runs until September 8, 2026, at Museo e Real Bosco di Capodimonte, Naples.
- Curated by Antonio Martino and Andrea Viliani.
- The show is organized on the occasion of the donation of the painting 'I Segni dei Tempi'.
- The painting combines references to Raphael and Marcel Duchamp, including Duchamp's 'Bottle Rack' (1914) and Raphael's 'Loggia of Cupid and Psyche' (1517-1518).
- Mariani was a protagonist of the 'Pittura colta' movement of the 1980s, opposing the Transavanguardia.
- Eight works from private collections are on view, including 'Iper/ri/cognizione 2' (1974), 'Orfeo' (1979), 'Ercole che riposa' (1976), 'Composizione 5' (1989), 'Dopo il bagno' (1989), and 'Gentil' and 'Gaia' (1974).
- The exhibition includes rare editions of 'Marcel Duchamp, Le marchand du sel' and 'Tracce in Italia' by Joseph Beuys.
- Mariani exhibited at Studio Trisorio in Naples in 1978, the same year Capodimonte inaugurated a decisive season with Alberto Burri's 'Grande Cretto Nero' and Caravaggio's 'Flagellazione di Cristo'.
- Mariani was born in Rome in 1931 and died in New York in 2021.
- His interest in theosophy and esoteric doctrines, from Helena Blavatsky onward, influenced his practice.
Entities
Artists
- Carlo Maria Mariani
- David LaChapelle
- Giorgio de Chirico
- Anton Raphael Mengs
- Jacques Louis David
- Francesco Hayez
- Andrea Appiani
- Raffaello Sanzio
- Marcel Duchamp
- Joseph Beuys
- Alberto Burri
- Caravaggio
- Helena Blavatsky
Institutions
- Museo e Real Bosco di Capodimonte
- Accademia di Belle Arti di Roma
- Studio Trisorio
- Villa Farnesina
Locations
- Naples
- Italy
- Rome
- New York
- Villa Farnesina
Sources
- Artslife —