MMFA 2026: Torlonia Collection - Roman Sculpture

THE TORLONIA COLLECTION
MASTERPIECES OF ROMAN SCULPTURE

Montreal Museum of Fine Arts
March 14 – July 19, 2026

The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts (MMFA) was honoured to host The Torlonia Collection: Masterpieces of Roman Sculpture. The final stop on a historic North American tour, this major exhibition brought together 57 lifelike marble sculptures: Roman statues, busts, and sarcophagi; stunning bas-reliefs; mythological creatures; and striking portraits of gods and goddesses, emperors, and their wives. These masterpieces have been shown in Canada for the first time.

The Largest Private Collection of Ancient Roman Marble Sculptures The Torlonia Collection is one of the most important ensembles of ancient Roman sculptures still in existence. Assembled in the 19th century by the Torlonia family, most notably by prince and banker Alessandro Torlonia (1800–1884), who founded the Museo Torlonia in 1876, the collection rivals the Vatican and Capitoline museums in both quality and scope.

A true "collection of collections," it was built thanks to excavations on former imperial estates and through a series of acquisitions of major holdings. It comprises 623 marble works (and a single bronze work) representing Roman sculpture from the Republic through the Empire periods. For much of the past century, access to these works has been limited: they were known primarily through 19th-century publications. After spending decades out of public view, the sculptures have now been restored and are finally being presented in all their splendour.

Alessandro Poma Murialdo, President of Fondazione Torlonia, stated:

"Fondazione Torlonia is excited to be sharing the Torlonia Collection with audiences in Canada for the first time. This exceptional group of ancient sculptures is a testament to the enduring cultural legacy of ancient Rome, as well as the vision and passion of multiple generations of the Torlonia family." 

Carlotta Loverini Botta, Director of Fondazione Torlonia elaborated:

"Fondazione Torlonia is delighted to present in Canada this important ensemble, which covers three centuries of collecting ancient masterpieces. This exhibition reflects not only the history of the artworks themselves, but also the legacies of their many owners: the centuries-old Roman aristocracy, acclaimed restorers, and visionary collectors. It exemplifies the ‘contemporary act' of a long-standing principle underpinning the Torlonia Family's practice of artistic patronage—for through art, people find their destinies to be intertwined, shaping not only what we see, but also who we become." 

Laura Vigo, Curator of Asian art and Archeology at the MMFA and responsible for the exhibition's Montreal presentation, added: 

"Assembled by a lineage of princes, the Torlonia Collection offers a rare opportunity to experience the sensory power these ancient marble sculptures still radiate today. Visitors will have the chance to meet the gaze of Roman emperors such as Marcus Aurelius, Hadrian, and Commodus, and to encounter Hercules, Bacchus, or Cupid as they walk among some of the most celebrated statues of Antiquity." 

This landmark exhibition brings together nearly 60 ancient marbles of breathtaking realism: Roman statues, busts and sarcophagi, bas-reliefs of stunning beauty, mythological creatures, and striking portraits of gods and goddesses, emperors and their consorts. These masterworks are being presented in Canada for the first time.

The Torlonia Collection stands as one of the most important ensembles of ancient Roman sculpture in existence. Assembled by the Torlonia family in the 19th century, most notably by prince and banker Alessandro Torlonia (1800-1884), who established the Museo Torlonia in 1876, the collection rivals the Vatican and Capitoline Museums in both quality and scope. 

The final stop of a historic North American tour, The Torlonia Collection is still on view at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts (MMFA) until July 19, 2026. This exhibition is an exceptional window into the artistic genius of ancient Rome.

All photos @Nadia Slejskova

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Visit the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts website for more information and to purchase your tickets online.

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MMFA 2025: Kent Monkman

KENT MONKMAN:

History Is Painted by the Victors

September 27, 2025 – March 8, 2026

The Montreal Museum of Fines Arts (MMFA) presents the Canadian premiere of the exhibition by Kent Monkman that brings together some 40 of his monumental paintings. The exhibition includes works on loan from Canadian and American museums, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, some private collectors, and also a selection from the MMFA's permanent collection.

Mokman is a figurative painter par excellence, who draws and creates human bodies on his canvases with the precision of the classical painters of past eras. He is also a superb calorist, who generously uses the rainbow gamut of bright colours to dazzles his audience. His huge canvases are not only striking but also quite overpowering, bringing the viewer inside the dramatic universe of his imagination.

The story narratives that Monkman creates on canvases are quite uniquely portrayed. They are interlaced with historical elements, mythology, and his personal interpretation of the historical past. His detailed compositions are strongly dramatic, complex and monumental. Yet, they are extremely elegant, and the language of his colours is striking. A number of his compositions seem to be inspired by the great painters of the past.

Credits and curatorial team

The exhibition was organized by the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts and the Denver Art Museum. It was curated by Léuli Eshrāghi, Curator of Indigenous Practices at the MMFA, and John Lukavic, the Andrew W. Mellon Curator of Native Arts, Denver Art Museum.

For those curious about Monkman’s artistic creative process, do not miss to watch the short documentary filmed in his studio. The screen is located on the wall to the right when one comes up the staircase and before entering the exhibition halls. His studio is very much like those of the medieval painters who had a number of assistants performing various task ranging from helping with some painting details and taking care of organizational and studio needs.

All photos @Nadia Slejskova

Visit the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts website for more information and to purchase your tickets online.

This article's dedicated internet website address here.

MMFA 2025: Kent Monkman

Also check my previous article about Kent Monkman in this blog.

MMFA 2025: Decorative Arts and Design

From the Functional to the Fabulous

600 Years of Decorative Arts and Design

New presentation of the decorative arts and design collection

Opens on September 13, 2025.

Today, the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts (MMFA) has unveiled the newly reconfigured spaces of its Lilian and David M. Steward Pavilion of Decorative Arts and Design that holds a unique and prestigious collection. The present exhibition, that will have some items on display to rotate in the future, offers to visitors some 800 works (silverware, ceramics, jewelry, furniture, textiles, glassware, crafts and industrial design objects) from Quebec, Canada, and also from abroad.

At the center of this major design installation, the public will once again be able to see Dale Chihuly's The Sun, 2003 (see the very first photo at the top of this article). Previously installed on the front steps of the Museum during the summer, this majestic sculpture composed of 1,200 rays of blown glass will now shine in perpetuity at the heart of the Liliane and David M. Stewart Pavilion.

Please note that to mark the grand reopening of the Liliane and David M. Stewart Pavilion, admission to the Museum will be free for everyone on Saturday, September 13, from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Creative activities and festivities are also planned for Du Musée Avenue. It is a free event, but the registration is required here to enter the Museum. 

Do not miss the opportunity to admire over 600 years of design, discovering the role objects play in shaping our lives, learning to appreciate the design in all its forms while reflecting on our everyday interactions with designed objects.

The renovated interior, spread over the two levels of the Liliane and David M. Stewart Pavilion, is a marvel of Brutalist architecture. The new exhibition floor and the design and art installation displayed within it, covers nearly 2,000 m², bringing together some 800 works (silverware, ceramics, jewellery, furniture, textiles, glassware, craft and industrial design objects) and introduces to the public over 400 designers, artists, and artisans from around the world who contributed their creations to this exhibition. Close to a quarter of these objects are being shown for the first time.

The new re-installation also features a new space dedicated to silver and metal works produced in Europe and Canada from the 17th to 20th century. This gallery presents a selection of silver pieces from the over 1,000 objects that the Honourable Serge Joyal has offered to the MMFA since 1990. Highlights of the collection attest to the importance of silversmithing activity in Quebec City and Montreal from the late 18th century onwards, represented here by master silversmiths Laurent Amiot and Robert Hendery. The collection also traces its expansion in the 1880s under the leadership of the Birks jewellery firm and includes more contemporary works from the 20th century by jewellers Maurice Brault and Walter Schluep.

A new theme-based presentation

Adopting both a trans-historical and theme-based approach, the new presentation explores the evolution of design from the 15th century to the present day, reflecting the social changes that have occurred over that time. The main floor focuses on design as a form of cultural expression while the upper level explores the functionality of design. Visitors can explore the expressive qualities of objects as well as their technical functions and innovations.
 
Twelve themed sections highlight the diversity not only of the objects in the collection but also of their production techniques, ranging from traditional handcrafting to digital fabrication. The reinstallation spotlights innovations in such diverse fields as well-being, communications, domestic life, office work and transportation. Visitors won't want to miss a rare example of Richard Buckminster Fuller's prefabricated Dymaxion (1936) bathroom, a Keracolor B1 (1969) large-format spherical television designed by Arthur Bracegirdle, Douglas Ball's self-contained office capsule dubbed the Clipper CS-1 (1992), or the 10th-anniversary edition of the smart fortwo car (2009), of which only 100 examples were produced.

 

Anchoring the presentation between the upper and lower levels is an object-based chronology that tells the story of the evolution of design from a historical perspective, focusing on themes such as global trade and exchange, colonialism and imperialism, the Industrial Revolution, modernism and 21st-century design.

Mary-Dailey Desmarais, the Chief Curator at the MMFA, stated:

"We're thrilled to share this all-new presentation of our decorative arts and design collection with our visitors. The culmination of an over-three-year collaboration between design historian Rachel Gotlieb and the MMFA's teams, this display studded with objects shown for the first time highlights era-defining aesthetic, material, and technological advances from the 15th century to today. It is both an ode to the ingenuity of artisans and designers past and present and an invitation to discover the many ways decorative arts and design shape our interactions with the world around us."

Rachel Gotlieb, the guest curator, elaborated:
 

"This reinstallation aims to foster greater appreciation for design by encouraging reflection on our everyday interactions with designed objects. It reveals how these works—from crafts to industrial design—evolve along with society and help shape our daily lives with ever greater inventiveness and creativity. It also sheds light on the Museum's collection-building process, highlighting curatorial decisions and cultural considerations that have influenced this comprehensive and remarkable assemblage of decorative arts and design work over time." 

NEW ACQUISITIONS AND RARELY DISPLAYED OBJECTS

The redesigned galleries will bring together many outstanding objects from the MMFA’s collection, including works by Edward Barnard & Sons, Christopher Dresser, Elkington, Nicholas Hilliard, Jean Pierre‑Latz, Mason & Co., Louis Majorelle and Charles Rennie Mackintosh.

Remarkable acquisitions include a miniature Louis XV commode, as well as a rare Sèvres breakfast service which depicts miniatures of celebrated literary and artistic women from the 17th and 18th centuries painted by Jean Georget.

Art Deco, Modernism, Pop and Postmodern design are also represented by numerous designers from both here and abroad, including Douglas Ball, Mario Bellini, Jeannette Meunier Biéler, Marcel Breuer, Clarice Cliff, François Dallegret, Riccardo Dalisi, Charles and Ray Eames, Gio Ponti and Piero Fornasetti, Frank O. Gehry, Grete Jalk, Léon Kann, Shiro Kuramata, Carlo Mollino, Isamu Noguchi, Gaetano Pesce, Gerrit Thomas Rietveld, Hugh Spencer, Ettore Sottsass, Walter Dorwin Teague, Vivianna Torun Bülow‑Hübe, and Mariette Rousseau‑Vermette. Contemporary craft and design will also be in the spotlight, with work by Lani Adeoye, Syd Carpenter, Michel Dallaire, James Dyson, Ying Gao, Steven Heinemann, Hitomi Hosono, Hella Jongerius, Ross Lovegrove, Zoë Mowat, Pascale Girardin, Faye Toogood, Ionna Vautrin and Studio 5.5 designers, among others.

Furthermore, the presentation also feature recent acquisitions of works by Indigenous designers, including Michael Massie, Audie Murray and Caroline Monnet in collaboration with Humble Nature.

And, finally, to encourage dialogue between the different art forms represented in the Museum’s collections, the presentation will display paintings, sculptures, and textile and paper works by artists such as Edmund Alleyn, Paul‑Émile Borduas, Shary Boyle, Greg Curnoe, Nadia Myre, Woody De Othello, Pablo Picasso and Nam Jun Paik.

All photos @Nadia Slejskova

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Visit the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts website to check on the opening hours and to purchase your tickets online.