The exhibition, curated by Fernando Mazzocca and Elena Lissoni, brings together still lifes, portraits and allegorical compositions, juxtaposing paintings and sculptures. The flower appears as a decorative element, a symbolic presence, a narrative detail or the focal point of the scene, helping to define atmospheres, meanings and worldviews.
Spanning Romanticism, Realism, Divisionism and Symbolism, VANITAS traces the evolution of a subject that is seemingly simple yet capable of reflecting the anxieties, aspirations and changes of modern society. Alongside the works, there are references to the literature of authors such as Baudelaire, Leopardi, Pascoli and D’Annunzio, who found in the flower one of the most powerful symbols of beauty and the transience of life.
Featuring famous masterpieces, previously unseen comparisons and works waiting to be rediscovered, the exhibition offers an original perspective on art from the late 19th to the early 20th century, demonstrating how one of the oldest subjects in the figurative tradition has become a key to interpreting modernity and its major themes.
Over 40 works trace a century of Italian art through the floral paintings of Hayez, Molteni, Induno, Segantini, Previati, Casorati and many other leading figures.
