First major Italian Tolkien exhibition opens at Rome's Galleria Nazionale

The Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Moderna in Rome will host 'J. R. R. Tolkien 1973 – 2023 Uomo, Professore, Autore' from November 15, 2023, marking the 50th anniversary of the author's death. Curated by Oronzo Cilli, a member of the Tolkien Society and president of the Associazione Tolkeniani Italiani, the exhibition is produced by Alessandro Nicosia and C.O.R. It features over 100 works including photographs, documents, films, and virtual reconstructions of early editions of Tolkien's books, alongside adaptations by Peter Jackson and other media. The show combines a scholarly section with books, letters, and documents, and a multimedia component presenting Tolkien's maps and a full screening of 'The Lord of the Rings'. Minister of Culture Gennaro Sangiuliano, who first announced the project in July 2023 at a Fratelli d'Italia youth event, described Tolkien as a 'true conservative' and a 'creator of invented worlds'. The exhibition is the first in Italy dedicated to Tolkien, following previous shows in Oxford and Paris.