The Torlonia Collection’s Marbles Unveiled in Rome


06/29/2021

This large private collection of marbles from antiquity amassed during the 19th century includes outstanding pieces, some of which were reproduced by Raphael.



by Zaha Redman

Girl from Vulci, marble, h. 70 cm/27.56 in. © Fondazione Torlonia - Photo Lorenzo De Masi
Giovanni (1754-1829) and Alessandro Torlonia (1800-1886) were descendants of an immigrant from Auvergne who was first a textile dealer, then a banker. They were bankers by day and the Dukes of Bracciano at night (for "night" read "lavish parties"). This is not just a simple selection of 100 works from over 600, but also the history of "a collection of collections"—i.e. a group that emerged from other, older collections split up, sold and bequeathed, and was also resulted from a policy of participation in 19th-century excavations. Read more