La favola di Atalanta. Guido Reni e i poeti

The National Gallery of Bologna in Bologna will host the temporary exhibition The Tale of Atalanta. Guido Reni and the Poets, from 16 November 2024 to 16 February 2025. Curated by Giulia Iseppi, Raffaella Morselli and Maria Luisa Pacelli, the exhibition aims to explore the deep connection between painting and poetry in 17th century Bologna, a period in which the city was establishing itself as a cultural centre of international importance.

This unique event will bring together works by illustrious Bolognese artists such as Guido Reni, Ludovico and Agostino Carracci, Lavinia Fontana and Artemisia Gentileschi, placing them in dialogue with the poetic creations of contemporary literati, including Cesare Rinaldi and Giovan Battista Marino. The exhibition aims to reveal the interconnections between art and literature, highlighting how poets were inspired by painters and vice versa, in a context rich in cultural exchange.

Exhibited artworks

Among the works on display are the following:

• Atalanta and Hippomenes by Guido Reni, on loan from the Prado Museum in Madrid
• Atalanta and Hippomenes by Guido Reni, on loan from the Museo di Capodimonte in Naples
• Judith with the Head of Holofernes by Lavinia Fontana, on loan from the Davia Bargellini Museum in Bologna
• Iole by Ludovico Carracci, on loan from the Fondazione Manodori in Reggio Emilia

The main focus will be on Guido Reni, whose artistic production inspired a vast poetic literature. In particular, the two versions of Atalanta and Ippomene will be at the centre of the story to analyse their impact in the cultural context of the time.