An exhibition exploring the birth of Classicism and the legacy of Greece and Italy to Europe was inaugurated at the National Archaeological Museum in Athens on Wednesday evening at 19:30, opening its doors to the public on Thursday.
"It is an impressive exhibition that through 25 exhibits spans an incredible journey through time, from the prehistoric era to the modern age. In reality, we are talking about Greco-Italian civilisation and for this reason one could not easily separate them," Greek Culture and Sports Minister Constantinos Tasoulas said in a press conference at the museum.
Entitled
"Classicism and Europe: The destiny of Greece and Italy," the
exhibition began in Rome while Greece still held the presidency of the European
Union, and comes to Athens now that the EU presidency has been taken over by
Italy. It will remain at the National Archaeological Museum
in Athens until
October 31.
It features
25 works of art spanning a period of 4,500 years, from the early prehistoric
civilisations of the Aegean (Cycladic, Minoan and Mycenean) passing through the
Archaic era of the 6th century BC - including the Acropolis Kore and the relief
of the 'Pensive Athena' - to sculptures representing the rise of democracy in
ancient Greece. It continues with the rise of Christianity through Byzantine
art and a replica of the Rossano Bible, the oldest illustrated Bible in the
world, the Renaissance, featuring works by El Greco and Mattia Preti and
continues right up to the 20th century, with works by Giani, Cadorin, Moralis
and Parthenis.
The
exhibition is organised with the collaboration of the Italian EU presidency and
Greece,
via the foreign and culture ministries in both countries. The works of art were
contributed by the National Archaeological Museum
in Athens, the New
Acropolis Museum,
the Iraklio Archaeological
Museum, the Byzantine and Christian Museum,
the Greek National Gallery, the Capitoline Museums-Centrale Montemartini, the
National Etruscan Museum of Villa Giulia, the Naples
National Archaeological
Museum and other archaeological
museums in Italy.
It is
taking place under the auspices of the Greek and Italian presidents and had
more than 85,000 visitors while on show in Italy.