Love, Luxury and Beauty in Antiquity

Masterpieces from the Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Napoli

23 September 2023 - 17 December 2023

Location: National Library of China, National Museum of Classic Books, Beijing

Curators: Marialucia Giacco, Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Napoli

The exhibition “Love, luxury and beauty in antiquity” is a project curated by one of the most prestigious archaeological museums in the world, the National Archaeological Museum of Naples (MANN).

The exhibition was conceived with the aim of constructing a journey through the theme of beauty and love that permeates all ancient Greek and Roman culture and lives on in the story of Pompeii and Herculaneum. Through 128 archaeological masterpieces the narrative refers to the poignant story of Pompeii which “had to die to become eternal” and reflects the eternal beauty revealed through the excavations.

The itinerary of the exhibition winds through symbols, myths and gods of classical times surrounding the theme of love and beauty such as Aphrodite, Pothos, Ganymede and Eros, highlighting the universe of meanings of the classical era found in the 128 exhibits presented.

“These exhibitions testify to the role of culture as a founding element of our identity and as a key factor in nurturing an ongoing dialogue”

Massimo Ambrosetti, Ambassador of Italy to the People's Republic of China