Fondazione Torlonia inaugurates the Marmora Romana exhibition, expanding Villa Albani Torlonia’s Antiquarium

Chiomenti continues its partnership with Fondazione Torlonia, first established in 2022, in support of the conservation, research and enhancement of the world's most important private collection of ancient Roman sculpture.

Following the inauguration of the Antiquarium in 2024, marking Fondazione Torlonia's tenth anniversary, this September 18 the Antiquarium at Villa Albani Torlonia will be expanded with Marmora Romana, an exhibition curated by Carlo Gasparri dedicated to polychrome marbles, to the homonymous work, and to the memory of Raniero Gnoli (1933–2025), a distinguished scholar and passionate collector of ancient marbles.

The expansion of the Antiquarium, located in the former stables of Villa Albani Torlonia, further strengthens Fondazione Torlonia's commitment to sharing with the public the results of the conservation work carried out in the Torlonia Laboratories with the support of Fondazione Bvlgari, while also giving greater prominence to the research activities made possible through Chiomenti's support.

The new exhibition space at the Antiquarium

Through busts, architectural elements, capitals, table supports and sculptures, the exhibition showcases the extraordinary variety and refinement of the stone materials used in Roman interiors, from antiquity through subsequent restoration campaigns.

Among the highlights is the monumental Tazza Torlonia, also known as Tazza Medici: an imposing Roman-period krater carved from Egyptian green breccia and mounted on a sixteenth-century pedestal. Crafted from an exceptionally rare stone quarried in Egypt's Wadi Hammamat—known in Greek as ectontalitis ("a thousand stones")—the vase is made from one of the most precious and highly prized materials of the ancient world.

Alongside it, visitors will encounter emblematic works such as the so-called Alexander from the Giustiniani Collection, together with a series of portrait busts displayed on ancient column capitals, echoing the historic display of the Museo Torlonia.

The partnership between the Firm and Fondazione Torlonia

For many years, Chiomenti has been committed to safeguarding and promoting Italy's historical, cultural and artistic heritage, with the aim of preserving it for future generations and making it widely accessible.

The Firm's support for Fondazione Torlonia's activities represents a significant contribution to the preservation and promotion of a cultural heritage that bears witness to key milestones in the history of collecting, archaeology and restoration.