Inaugurata a Capodimonte la mostra “Napoli dai Borbone alla Belle Epoque”

The exhibition "Napoli tra i Borbone e la Belle Epoque. Arte e impresa, nascita di una capitale moderna" opened at the Museo e Real Bosco di Capodimonte yesterday. Featuring 147 works by 77 artists, the exhibit traces the extraordinary era of Neapolitan art from the Enlightenment period to the brink of World War I. Installed until February 28, 2027, the exhibit presents a historical and thematic itinerary spanning over a century of artistic and social transformations, linking the flourishing of the arts to the rise of a prosperous merchant, financial, commercial, and manufacturing class.

Notable among these figures are the Rothschilds, Aselmeyers, Meuricoffre, and Giovanni Vonwiller, whose wealth and influence intertwined the history of collections with that of Neapolitan economy and society. The initiative was promoted by the Fondazione Mezzogiorno and the Museo e Real Bosco di Capodimonte, aligning with the Neapolis 2500 program spearheaded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.

Intesa Sanpaolo serves as the main partner of the event. Eike Schmidt, director of the Museo e Real Bosco di Capodimonte, highlights how Naples emerged as a cultural capital during three centuries of prosperity, establishing itself primarily as a philosophical and cultural center. Antonio D'Amato, president of the Fondazione Mezzogiorno and a patron, insists that the exhibition underscores the deep connection between culture and industrial bourgeoisie, urging Naples to rediscover its former role as a capital city.

The aim of the Neapolis 2500 program is to showcase Naples' grandeur and share its vast resources with future generations. Curated by Rosario Caputo and Isabella Valente, the exhibition is notable for its inclusion of numerous previously unseen works. The journey begins with "La baia di Napoli con Castel dell'Ovo" by Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot, recently purchased by the State and allocated to Capodimonte's collections, illustrating the exchange of views between Naples and foreign artists and demonstrating the city's allure to European art figures.