Torlonia exhibit: Last month in North America

[guy]

 

The Torlonia collection is on its final stop of North America in Montreal this month. 
 

 

The Torlonia collection contains 622 ancient marbles, assembled in the 19th century from aristocratic Roman families (Giustiniani, Albani, Cavaceppi) and Torlonia estate excavations. For decades it was inaccessible, making this tour a landmark event.  
 

The Torlonia sculptures now on exhibit form one of the most important Roman sculpture showings in decades: 57 masterpieces from the Torlonia Collection, touring North America for the first time and currently on view at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts (MMFA) until July 19, 2026. 
 

The exhibition is historically significant: the Torlonia Collection—long considered the greatest private collection of Roman sculpture—was inaccessible for most of the 20th century, stored away since WWII and known mainly through 19th‑century catalogues. Its recent restoration and release to the public is one of the major events in Roman art scholarship.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here is a good video review about the exhibit while previously in Fort Worth at the Kimbell Art Museum earlier this year:

Here is a short video of the exhibit now in Montreal:

 

Edited Sunday at 02:20 PM by guy

[caesar novus]

I've tried to appreciate the sculptures from that collection since they were unveiled 5 or so years ago, but they lack Roman trademark pensive demeanor and warts-and-all vibe that I value. Kind of florid and artsy like from Greece, or those retouched during the renaissance like what Michelangelo did on some famous Vatican pieces. Same goes for some pieces in the overrated Galleria Borghese (now timed entrance tickets - ugh).

Edited Sunday at 10:29 PM by caesar novus