While many may associate Italy with Christian or Catholic imagery, it is important to remember the vast, rich, and storied history of Italy before the rise of monotheistic religions. When visiting the “A Dream of Italy” exhibit and viewing Marquis Campana’s Collection, this is something important to keep in mind. While there are a few works of art that are influenced by Christianity, such as Sandro Botticelli’s, “La Vierge et l’Enfant” or the Virgin and Child, many of the pieces in this collection are influenced by Greek mythos. These works of art were mostly created during the 1st century BC, 2nd century BC, or 3rd century BC. While one would not need to be an expert on Greek mythology to appreciate the art within this collection, doing research on the different characters, Gods or Goddesses within this exhibit will allow you to have a richer experience. I found in my research into the Bust of Ariadne that learning about her fate – while at first tragic – allowed me to appreciate her beauty that much more. The mythology behind this art is just as important to understanding the art itself, as is in the case of the “Plaque Campana, thiase dionysiaque” which depicts the God Dionysus’ procession of advisors, worshippers, or “inebriated revelers” (“Thiasus”). Dionysus is the God who is said to have rescued Ariadne from the island of Naxos (“Ariadne”), and that these works of art were created within similar time periods exemplifies the motifs that were most common during that time. Something else to look out for is what these objects are made of. Many of the objects are made using clay or terracotta clay, materials more easily available between the 1st and 3rd centuries BC. Any color used is another thing to focus on. Paint and pigments are not something that were so easy to come by in the earliest centuries, especially any that are blue or have a blue hue to them. Be introspective – how did the artists get these colors? How were they created? Who provided the labor that allowed such pigments to be created? Most importantly, allow yourself to be transported to another time. Such art is less commonly created today – as art evolves over time, with themes and materials changing and evolving. How do these ancient works of art move you?
This collection is so significant because it genuinely feels like a collection. It was the collection created through various connections by one person. The research into the story of these objects shows how it started as many lost individual objects from ancient artists in Italy, until they were rediscovered. Before Campana these objects had no connection to one another. “He brought together this extraordinary collection by way of excavations, the antique and art market, the network of collectors between Rome, Naples and Florence, and his links with scientific institutions”(Dream of Italy). This collection of artwork only exists because of its curation. Campana did not create the objects, but he did create the collection. When it was eventually broken up and sold to numerous different buyers across Europe, the grouping that he established was not forgotten. He established his vision of Italian Art through his ensemble of objects, and even though it did not last forever, the collection still managed to find its way back together. By becoming an exhibit in the Louvre, the ties between the object, and the importance of these ties is enforced. Campana’s idea of Italian art that he found, bought, and acquired one object at a time is now on display for anyone to see. The most important finding of this collection is how it proves the importance and endurance of collections, and how they can be just as important as the objects within them.
Bibliography
“A Dream of Italy.” What’s On | Past Exhibitions, Louvre, https://www.louvre.fr/en/what-s-on/exhibitions/a-dream-of-italy.
“Ariadne.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., https://www.britannica.com/topic/Ariadne-Greek-mythology.
“Bacchanal, Adj. and n.” OED Online, Oxford University Press, Sept. 2021, www.oed.com/view/Entry/14285.
“Bacchanal English Definition and Meaning.” Lexico Dictionaries | English, Lexico Dictionaries, https://www.lexico.com/en/definition/bacchanal.
“Bust of a Woman : Ariadne at The Louvre, Paris.” 3D Printable Bust of a Woman : Ariadne at The Louvre, Paris by Scan The World, MyMiniFactory, https://www.myminifactory.com/object/3d-print-bust-of-a-woman-ariadne-at-the-louvre-paris-12406.
“Dionysus.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., https://www.britannica.com/topic/Dionysus.
Garcia, Brittany. “Minotaur.” World History Encyclopedia, World History Encyclopedia, 1 Sept. 2013, https://www.worldhistory.org/Minotaur/.
Harrsch, Mary. Achelous and the Origin of the Horn of Plenty, 17 Jan. 2021, https://ancientimes.blogspot.com/2021/01/achelous-and-origin-of-horn-of-plenty.html.
“Statue.” Musée Du Louvre, Louvre, https://collections.louvre.fr/en/ark:/53355/cl010286384.
“Thiasus.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 24 June 2021, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thiasus.
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