The Torlonia Foundation opens the Antiquarium and displays sculptures from the recently restored collection

From March 28 to June 28, 2024, the Torlonia Foundation celebrates its first ten years of activity by opening theAntiquarium, located inside the Scuderie di Villa Albani Torlonia, which for the occasion hosts an exhibition, curated by Carlo Gasparri, of a group of sculptures from the collection that have been recently restored, thanks to the support of Bulgari and the support of the Soprintendenza Speciale di Roma in the Torlonia Laboratories, which have been working for years to study, restore and enhance the heritage of the private collection of ancient art.

Professor emeritus of the University Federico II of Naples and Academician of the Lincei Carlo Gasparri chose for the exhibition a group of recently restored marbles, including a group with Eros on a chariot pulled by wild boars, originally kept in the Villa and later in the Torlonia Museum.

“The works of the Torlonia Collection and Villa Albani Torlonia have always been carefully preserved under the aegis of the Family first and the Foundation later, making use of a select group of trusted restorers and technicians and under the high supervision of the Ministry of Culture, with which the criteria for conducting the projects were shared,” recalls Alessandro Poma Murialdo. “Two extraordinary artistic complexes destined to meet throughout history, preserved with care under the aegis of the same Family, through a constant and scrupulous activity. of protection that the Foundation has continued over the years, achieving important results: the opening of the Torlonia Laboratories for the study and restoration of the more than six hundred Torlonia marbles and the innovative conservation program of Villa Albani Torlonia, which concerns the monumental architectural complex with the works of the ancient and medieval collections and the historic gardens. Ten years is therefore a first important milestone that we want to celebrate by giving the opportunity to see for free the selection of works chosen by Professor Gasparri with great ability to synthesize the multitude that makes up the collection. The Antiquarium maintains a strong link with the city of Rome and allows us to enhance the daily work that restorers do to preserve this heritage, which is central to the commitment that the Foundation intends to pursue with long-term projects.”

On display are examples of animal figures such as the Eagle, the Fallow Deer, as well as portrait busts such as that of Unknown c.d. Balbinus or Unknown c.d. Othon, the herm with head of the Philoumenos group and the Herm of Alcibiades. As well as Milone crotoniate, a female statue with two amphorae, the bas-relief with a copy of Eros on a chariot with which an African marble Vessel is placed in dialogue. These are “some of the most significant works conserved in the Torlonia Museum and coming from Villa Albani that are now temporarily returning to the villa, to be presented to the public in their original location: works that were inserted in the natural environment of the garden,” says the curator, who also explains how “these selected specimens allow us to perceive decorative solutions and strands of taste that are no longer represented in the villa today; which in some cases show how they were the subject of important integrative interventions, upon their arrival in the Torlonia Museum.”

The exhibition thus aims to open a reflection on the change of attitude, between the 18th and 19th centuries, when faced with the interpretation and representation of the Antique, and the problems faced by the modern restorer in reconciling the reading of these phenomena with a unified vision of the work. To deepen this theme and foster a debate on the practice of contemporary conservation of ancient marbles, in June the exhibition will be accompanied by a number of meetings with Anna Maria Carruba, Conservator of the Torlonia Collections, and the group of restorers and technicians who shared the various restoration projects.

“The bond between Bvlgari and The Torlonia Foundation is deep,” concludes Jean-Christophe Babin, CEO of Bulgari. “It was born in 2017 when we proudly began to support the Foundation in the restoration of 92 works. Today we are proud to be able to continue this journey with the Torlonia Foundation and to be by their side again on the occasion of their 10th anniversary. It is a privilege to be able to help showcase the painstaking restoration of what remains the most important private collection of ancient art in the world.”

The Antiquarium will be open Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., excluding holidays.

Photo by Agostino Osio. Credit Torlonia Foundation

The Torlonia Foundation opens the Antiquarium and displays sculptures from the recently restored collection

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