In Naples, Genoa and Venice renewed interest in mythological themes stimulated, starting in the 1500s, a process of reinvention conducted by artists.
Renewed interest in mythological themes, starting in the 1500s, stimulated a process of reinvention of myth on the part of artists. This exhibition documents the increasing popularity of classical mythology and the charm of “profane” painting. The program calls for two phases, first in Genoa, then in Salerno: the strong national impact is accompanied by specific references to local realities, with an evocative range of masterpieces and less familiar works: from Bernardo Strozzi to Solimena, Luca Giordano to Sebastiano Ricci. The exhibition presents a voyage through three artistic centers of the Mediterranean – Naples, Genoa and Venice – with the aim of shedding light on the iconographic developments that marked the passage from 17th-century painting to the production of the 1700s. A spectacular selection of works offers an opportunity for an unusual comparison of three different but interacting geographical areas.