For years, it remained in the storeroomsof the Accademia Nazionale di San Luca, hidden from public view. Now, Bertel Thorvaldsen’s (Copenhagen, 1770–1844) *Venus Victorious* is once again on display in Rome following restoration, though not in a museum. From October 1, 2026, to July 22, 2027, the plaster model of the sculpture will be on display in the lobbyof the Hotel Nord Nuova Roma, near Termini Station, where it will be accessible to residents, travelers, and hotel guests.
It is precisely the return to public view of a work previously hidden from the public that constitutes the most significant aspect of this initiative, even though the location is entirely unusual—a space in the city different from those typically designated for the conservation and exhibition of works of art. This move brings not only Thorvaldsen’s sculpture back into the spotlight, but also raises a concrete question: what happens to a work of art when it leaves storage and is once again on view?
The plaster model stands 162 centimeters tall and was created by Thorvaldsen around 1813. It is a testament to the work of the great Danish sculptor, a leading figure of European Neoclassicism, and belongs to the collections of the Accademia Nazionale di San Luca. Its recent history is linked above all to its condition: stored in the archives, it was not normally accessible to visitors. The restoration has made the work’s return possible. The restoration was carried out by Cecilia Balzi and Rebecca Picca Orlandi, under the supervision of Fabio Porzio and the overall oversight of the Special Superintendence for Archaeology, Fine Arts, and Landscape of Rome. The restoration is therefore not merely a preliminary step toward exhibition: it is what allows the Venus to leave its storage location once again and re-establish a direct connection with the public. The project was also made possible thanks to the contribution of the Bettoja and Baglione families, who supported it.
Now, for about ten months, Thorvaldsen’s model will in fact be on display in the foyer of a historic Roman hotel. This is not simply a matter of moving a work out of a museum to place it in another exhibition space: the Venus will be displayed in a location frequented daily by people who may encounter it even without having planned a visit to an exhibition or a museum. This is the principle behind “Art Outside the Museum, ” a project promoted by the General Directorate of Museums of the Ministry of Culture, LoveItaly ETS, and Federalberghi Lazio. The initiative has reached its tenth edition and was launched with the goal of bringing artistic heritage beyond traditional museum spaces, making it accessible to diverse audiences. In the case of “Venus the Victor,” the chosen venue is the Hotel Nord Nuova Roma, whose lobby will temporarily become a space where a work from the Accademia’s collections can be encountered outside its usual context.
The sculpture’s presence in the hotel aims to reshape the way we conceive of the relationship between the artwork and the viewer. In a museum, the encounter with a sculpture takes place within a curated visitor route; here, however, the work is situated in a space of passage and linger, integrated into the city’s daily life. The “Venus” can be sought out specifically, but it may also catch the eye of those who find themselves in the hotel for entirely different reasons.
The project thus stems from the idea of transforming places of hospitality and daily life into opportunities to encounter cultural heritage. In the case of *Venus the Victorious*, this approach takes on special significance because the work arrives in that space after having been stored in the museum’s holding areas. The transition from conservation to public display thus becomes an integral part of the story told by the exhibition.
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| Thorvaldsen's "Victorious Venus" is on display again after years in storage and is being exhibited at a hotel |
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