Masterpieces such as The Painter and His Model Outdoors (1963) by Pablo Picasso and Capriccio with Gothic Church and Lagoon (c. 1720–1721) by Il Canaletto can be seen starting Thursday in a new Art Safari exhibition, The Charm of Antiquity: Art treasures from the Intesa Sanpaolo collections.

Other major names featured in the exhibition include Giovanni Paolo Panini, Pieter van Bredael, Jan Frans van Bloemen, Giovanni Ghisolfi, Carlo Labruzzi, Vincenzo Martinelli, and Lord Mancini (Francesco Mancini).

Pablo Picasso visited the Roman city of Pompeii in March 1917, where he was deeply struck by the ancient frescoes. The discovery of the city buried beneath the ashes of Vesuvius left a strong impression on him, and this fascination with the legacy of the ancient world comes to life today at Art Safari. Visitors can explore the unusual ways in which one of the most captivating themes in the history of art—and of artistic taste—is approached: Antiquity, viewed as the absolute model of ideal beauty.

Master Il Canaletto, renowned for the sensitivity with which he captured the Venetian atmosphere, became early on a key representative of the veduta genre (highly detailed cityscape paintings). The work displayed at Art Safari captures the mysterious charm of Venice, rendered almost like a dream, suspended between reality and fable.

Curator: Fernando Mazzocca; exhibition architecture: Diana Nicolaie; coordinator: Monica Dumitru. The exhibition is organized in partnership with the Italian Cultural Institute in Bucharest.

Pallady, Matisse, and Enescu in the exhibition program

The current Art Safari season is nearing its end. The exhibitions remain open until December 14 at the Dacia–Romania Palace on Lipscani 18–20.

Henri Matisse masterpieces are also being shown in Romania for the first time, thanks to a historic loan obtained by Art Safari in partnership with two major Paris museums: the Musée de l’Orangerie and the Musée Henri Matisse – Département du Nord. These works are part of the exhibition dedicated to Theodor Pallady — Paris Pallady.

Art Safari also brings into focus the life and work of composer George Enescu through a special exhibition held under the umbrella of the George Enescu International Festival — Enescu and the Minotaur. In addition, Young Blood 5.0. Hello, Math! showcases a new wave of contemporary artists.

Art Safari offers a series of special events, including guided tours by day and by night, art workshops for adults and children, and even workshops designed for babies, organized together with the Comic Opera for Children.

Witten by Aura Marinescu | 13 11 2025, 08:41