The Fondazione Prada’s most ambitious exhibition to date sets out to uncover the tangled web of connections between the world’s great powers between 600 BC and AD 1000 (5 November–1 March 2027). Through sculpture, painting, textiles and more, the curators reveal that many of the marvels of Western civilisation were made possible through interactions with Asian and African empires, and that powerful figures throughout Asia and the Middle East were fascinated by European artistry. Among the exhibits is a casket from the sixth century BC discovered in eastern Italy: decorated with scenes from Etruscan and Greek culture, it is made of ivory from Africa or Asia and inlaid with amber from the Baltic Sea. It’s also striking to see how many of the pieces in the show are on loan from museums that sit hundreds of miles away from the objects’ original home – a reminder, if any were needed, that art and craft have always transcended national borders.
Find out more from the Fondazione Prada’s website.
Preview below | View Apollo’s Art Diary
