The representation of Greek myth in art is one of the most fascinating aspects of the classical world. The exhibition 'Miti Greci' ('Greek Myths') is at the Palazzo Reale in Milan from 6 October 2004.
The exhibition ‘Miti Greci’ (‘Greek Myths’) at the Palazzo Reale, Milan, from 6 October 2004 to 23 January 2005, is the most important event in the project ‘Il mito oltre il mito’ (‘The Myth Beyond the Myth’), a series of initiatives based on art, literature and theatre, to be held in Lombardy until April 2005. The representation of Greek myth in art is one of the most fascinating aspects of the classical world, which has survived through the centuries thanks to the efforts of sensitive collectors.
The figurative documentation of these myths by the great masters of the Greek painting schools, which has not come down to us because their works were lost, is conserved in the remarkable painted vases produced by extremely skilful artists active in Southern Italy between the fifth and third century B.C. The exhibition features vases and objects of astounding beauty, on loan from museums throughout the world and from private collections – such as the Banca Intesa (formerly Caputi) Collection – including some of the most interesting pieces produced in Magna Graecia in the fifth and sixth century B.C. These works vividly render the exploits of gods, heroes and heroines, while the continuity of myth in European culture is represented by extremely fine Neo-Classical and contemporary works.