Ovid's Metamorphoses as Artistic Inspiration Across Centuries

A major exhibition at the Scuderie del Quirinale in Rome explores the enduring influence of Ovid's Metamorphoses on visual art from antiquity to the present. Featuring around 250 works, the show juxtaposes classical sculptures, Pompeian frescoes, Greek vases, medieval manuscripts, Renaissance paintings by Botticelli and Tintoretto, and contemporary neon works by Joseph Kosuth. The exhibition traces how artists across eras reinterpreted Ovidian myths, focusing on themes of passion, transformation, and the human condition. A key section examines the myth of Ganymede, with works ranging from a 1st-century Roman sculpture (Uffizi) to a bronze attributed to Benvenuto Cellini (Bargello) and a drawing by Michelangelo (1532) for Tommaso de' Cavalieri. The show highlights shifts in interpretation: medieval moralized editions censored pagan elements, while Renaissance Neoplatonism emphasized spiritual elevation. The exhibition runs until a yet-unspecified date, curated by a team led by Calogero Pirrera.