Victoria Mater. The idol and the icon

Installation Victoria Mater. The idol and the icon proposes a A powerful and unprecedented dialogue between two masterpieces of Roman bronze sculpture: the Winged Victory of Brescia and theIdol of Pesaro, from the National Archaeological Museum in Florence. The exhibition, curated by Donatien Grau and signed by Francesco Vezzoli, is located in the heart of the Capitolium, which has been transformed into a scenic and immersive space, where classical language meets contemporary style.

This extraordinary exhibition is a rare opportunity to admire two symbolic statues, both loaded with iconic and mythological values: the Victory, symbol of triumph and overcoming the terrain, and the’Idol, expression of the aesthetic ideal of kalòs kai agathòs. Vezzoli inserts a third bronze presence, a silhouette that creates an optical illusion of contact, accentuated by three lighting settings which change cyclically every twenty minutes, evoking time, memory and metamorphosis.

The project is part of the celebrations for the Bicentenary of the discovery of the Winged Victory and symbolically connects to the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games, evoking the link between classical art and universal ideals of harmony and perfection. The experience is accompanied by a rich public programme which includes guided tours, themed events and activities for families. A unique opportunity to experience the’archaeology as an emotional and critical experience, in an unprecedented fusion between past and present.