You have just a few days left to see the gems of Roman Baroque

15 Apr 2026

View of the entrance hall at the Idea of Beauty exhibition at the Archdiocesan Museum in Olomouc. Photo: MUO – Markéta Ondrušková

You have until Sunday, May 19, to see over forty Italian Baroque paintings at the Archdiocesan Museum in Olomouc, spanning the two artistic poles of naturalism and classicism. At the exhibition “The Idea of Beauty,” you’ll see paintings that are otherwise scattered throughout the country as part of permanent museum exhibitions or tour routes at state castles and chateaus.

The exhibition traces the artistic evolution from Naturalism, with its unvarnished reality often accentuated by dramatic light and shadow (Cecco del Caravaggio, Caroselli), through High Baroque, with its decorative style and dynamic forms (Cortona, Mola). Classicism then emerged with its calm, balanced compositions and idealized figures (Maratti, Calandrucci), and the Rococo brought its characteristic lightness and playfulness (Trevisani, Pesci). Thematically, the selection of exhibits focuses on religious, mythological, and historical subjects.

The selection of paintings and drawings is based on the practical feasibility of borrowing works of art, which are often part of the permanent collections of museums or the tour routes of state castles and chateaus, and are therefore difficult for the lending institutions to replace during the peak visitor season. For this reason, the exhibition takes place during the winter and spring months, when institutions are willing to temporarily release the works from their permanent collections.

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)

More information