From 5 April 2023 al 2 October 2023 (thanks to an extension), the exhibition "Picasso and the Ancient” will be presented at National Archaeological Museum of Naples. Curated by Clement Marconi, the exhibition aims to highlight the important impact that theclassical art had on the work of Pablo Picasso.
The exhibition is organized in two distinct sections. The first part focuses on the travels of Picasso a Napoli, describing how the museum presented itself during his visits. During that time, the National Archaeological Museum of Naples, known then as National Museum of Naples, offered a very advanced artistic vision, which went beyond the traditions of early nineteenth century.
The second section of the exhibition compares the works of art conserved in the museum with those of Pablo Picasso, highlighting mutual connections and influences.
Loans from the British Museum, Picasso Museum in Paris and Gagosian New York
The exhibition includes an exceptional loan of British Museum of London of 37 of the 100 tables that make up the Vollard Suite. These etchings made between 1930 and 1937 are considered an interpretative focus in the artist's oeuvre. In addition, there are also important loans from Picasso Museum in Paris and Gagosian New York for a set of 43 works that will be compared mainly with the Farnese sculptures and paintings from Pompeii.
The impact of the trip to Italy on the works of Picasso
The influence of the Picasso's trip to Italy in 1917 on his artistic production has been recognized for some time and now represents a fixed point in the art literature. The stay in Naples, with the visit to Pompei and National archeologic museum, had a particular relevance and led Picasso to give a three-dimensional aspect to his pictorial and sculptural works.
