The Pinacoteca Nazionale in Bologna until February 16, 2025 will host an event of great appeal and cultural relevance: the exhibition “The Tale of Atalanta. Guido Reni and the Poets.”
Curated by Giulia Iseppi, Raffaella Morselli and Maria Luisa Pacelli, this exhibition is set in a context of renewed studies on the Bolognese master, an artist whose influence has been the subject of recent prestigious reviews in some of Europe’s most important museum institutions, such as the Städel Museum in Frankfurt, the Galleria Borghese in Rome and the Museo del Prado in Madrid. Today, the Pinacoteca di Bologna stands as a cultural beacon that not only celebrates the figure of Reni, but also the literary and artistic context that surrounded him, creating a dynamic dialogue between images and words.
Right from the title, which recalls the mythological figure of Atalanta, a symbol of strength and beauty, a character linked to themes of transformation and conquest, Reni’s works in the exhibition will be flanked by paintings, engravings and printed volumes that narrate how the poets of the time, including such prominent names as Giovanni Battista Marino, Andrea Barbazza and Cesare Rinaldi, were able to immortalize the essence of these works, making them iconic in the cultural landscape of the time.
A shining example of this exchange is the celebrated “Massacre of the Innocents,” a masterpiece that conveys unparalleled emotional power and technical mastery. In fact, Marino wrote a poetic description that not only celebrated the work but sealed its fortune with his contemporaries. This encounter between art and poetry is the common thread that will guide the visitor through the rooms of the exhibition.
The exhibition unfolds among the works of the great Bolognese masters of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries: Ludovico and Agostino Carracci, Lavinia Fontana, and Artemisia Gentileschi, alongside Guido Reni. These creations are not only the result of individual genius, but represent the expression of a fertile and interconnected cultural environment where artists and poets influenced each other.
Animated tours, workshops for schools and families, and in-depth events for adults will allow direct and engaging interaction with the works, making art accessible and alive. With many of the initiatives free of charge, it is hoped to attract a diverse and curious public eager to discover, learn and immerse themselves in the fascinating world of Atalanta and Reni.
“The Fable of Atalanta. Guido Reni and the Poets” is not just an exhibition, but an experience to be lived, an encounter between the canvas and the written page, where each work tells a story, each verse a vision, thus opening the door to a dialogue that spans the centuries to illuminate the present.
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