A rare and highly anticipated exhibition of ancient Roman sculptures will make its North American debut in 2025. The Torlonia Marbles, one of the world’s most significant private collections of Roman and Greek relics, will be displayed at museums in Chicago, Fort Worth, and Montreal, offering a unique opportunity to experience these extraordinary works outside of Rome for the first time.
‘Myth and Marble’ Exhibition Highlights Roman Art
The exhibition, titled Myth and Marble: Ancient Roman Sculpture from the Torlonia Collection, is curated by Lisa Ayla Çakmak, Chief Curator of Greek, Roman, and Byzantine Art at the Art Institute of Chicago, and Katharine A. Raff, Associate Curator of Ancient Mediterranean and Byzantine Art. It will feature 58 sculptures from the collection, which includes over 620 works, spanning nine centuries of Roman history. The exhibition will focus on how images, both in antiquity and today, convey messages about identity, status, and power.
The exhibition will begin its North American tour at the Art Institute of Chicago from March 15 to June 29, 2025. It will then travel to the Kimbell Art Museum in Fort Worth, Texas (September 14, 2025–January 25, 2026), and finally to the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts in Québec (March 10–July 19, 2026).
A Legacy of Roman Sculpture
The Torlonia Marbles collection was assembled by the Torlonia family, one of Rome’s noble families, which played a significant role in managing the Vatican’s finances in the 18th and 19th centuries. The collection includes works acquired through the family’s excavations, purchases from art markets, and through inheritance. Prince Giovanni Torlonia and his son Prince Alessandro Torlonia were particularly instrumental in its growth.
Established in 1875, a museum was created to display the Torlonia Marbles, but it was closed at the start of World War II, and the collection was placed in storage. After years of negotiations, a selection of these sculptures was returned to public display in 2020 at Rome’s Capitoline Museums and later showcased at the Louvre Museum in Paris. The 2025 exhibition marks the first time many of the sculptures will be displayed outside Europe.
Noteworthy Sculptures and Restorations
Myth and Marble will include several highlights, such as the oldest piece in the collection—a 5th-century BCE white marble votive relief—as well as numerous busts, many of which depict prominent Roman emperors. Nearly half of the sculptures in the exhibition have been recently restored through a collaboration between the Torlonia Foundation and luxury brand Bvlgari. Among the featured pieces are portraits of gods, goddesses, and emperors, including the well-known bust of Marcus Aurelius.
Curator Lisa Ayla Çakmak emphasized the exhibition’s focus on portraiture and its exploration of Roman emperors, with a special focus on the 2nd century CE. The collection also includes several female portraits, highlighting the role of women in ancient Roman society.
For art lovers, history enthusiasts, and those curious about the legacy of ancient Rome, the Torlonia Marbles exhibition offers an unparalleled chance to explore one of the most important collections of ancient sculpture ever assembled.
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