The Torlonia collection, established in Rome at the very end of the 18th century by Giovanni Torlonia, a wealthy banker and entrepreneur, then by his son Alessandro, displays its masterpieces here, in an impressive series complemented by a certain number of sculptures kept at the Louvre. The bringing...
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The Torlonia collection, established in Rome at the very end of the 18th century by Giovanni Torlonia, a wealthy banker and entrepreneur, then by his son Alessandro, displays its masterpieces here, in an impressive series complemented by a certain number of sculptures kept at the Louvre. The bringing together of pieces of a very high artistic level allows an exploration of Roman sculpture through major genres (notably the portrait), production methods (Roman copies of Greek originals and the assimilation of their models), or specifically Roman typologies (sculpted sarcophagi). This parallel between the Torlonia collection and that of the Louvre takes us to the roots of European taste and the history of museums: on the one hand, a princely collection, enriched by several successive acquisitions entire collections; on the other, a public museum of ancient sculpture opened during the Revolution. All of the essays brought together here include the best specialists in the field and retrace the stages and challenges of collecting while shedding light on the striking beauty of these unique works.
Exhibition at the musée du Louvre from 26 June to 11 November 2024
French
352 pages
Éditions du Seuil
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