At the Maschio Angioino between Napolitude and the Elysian Fields

Let's talk about Naples again, specifically two exhibitions held inside that beautiful monument, the Maschio Angioino, or Castel Nuovo.

But first, we'd like to remind you that this year marks the 2,500th anniversary of the founding of Neapolis, and among the many initiatives sponsored by the city administration is this exhibition: NAPOLITUDE. PARTHENOPE'S JOURNEY IN THE PAINTINGS OF LUIGI GENTILE. Laura Valente, artistic director of Napoli2500, wrote this preface to the exhibition catalog:

As part of the City of Naples's Napoli2500 celebrations, the exhibition "Napolitude. Parthenope's Journey in the Paintings of Luigi Gentile," curated by leading art historian Maria Corbi, represents not only a retrospective dedicated to an artist of exceptional expressive power but also an act of love for the city, which rediscovers and renews its sense of identity through art.

[...]

Over one hundred and fifty works—oils, pastels, and ceramics—lead the visitor on a journey where the pictorial gesture becomes energy and memory, individual narrative and collective unity.

Let's take a look at a small selection of these works, chosen from those that most impressed us, in our naiveté as ordinary visitors with no particular artistic background:

PARTHENOPE

SWIMMER

ELEPHANT

SHIP

NAPOLITUDE

The exhibition will remain open until December 2, 2025, in the Anteroom of the Barons of the Maschio Angioino (accessible by elevator, please ask the staff). For those wishing to learn more about this artist and his works, you can access the Luigi Gentile Archive, curated by the master's heirs, at this link.

Let's now move on to the other exhibition at the Maschio Angioino, specifically ELYSIAN FIELDS by American artist Jim Dine. Here's what's reported on the City of Naples website:

"Elysian Fields," the site-specific exhibition by American artist Jim Dine at Castel Nuovo, open until February 10, 2026, is the latest event in Napoli Contemporanea 2025, the program of exhibitions and installations promoted by the City of Naples and curated by Vincenzo Trione. Starting in 2023, the program aims to strengthen the city's contemporary appeal with projects conceived by contemporary art protagonists for museums and urban public spaces.

The exhibition, housed in the monumental spaces on the ground floor of the castle (recently renovated for the exhibition "Mimmo Jodice. Metaphysical Naples"), establishes a dialogue between the historical and architectural heritage of Castel Nuovo and the contemporary nature of the American master's works. The 29 installations comprising the exhibition have been placed in the Chapel of the Souls in Purgatory, the Palatine Chapel, the Armoury, and two additional rooms in the archaeological area.

A few notes on the artist:

Born in Cincinnati in 1935, Jim Dine is an icon of contemporary art. Having established himself in Pop Art alongside Roy Lichtenstein, Andy Warhol, and Claes Oldenburg, his works are exhibited worldwide in the most prestigious collections, from MoMA in New York to the Tate in London, and the Centre Pompidou in Paris. "Elysian Fields" celebrates Jim Dine's philosophy, grounded in an emotional interrogation of the past and a fascination with classicism, on the threshold between ancient and contemporary.

And now let's look at some of the images we took at the exhibition locations:

THE GATE WHERE VENUS SLEEPS (bronze and steel door)

What else can we add? The usual logistical information: to reach Maschio Angioino, it's best to take Metro Line 1 (MUNICIPIO station) and that in Piazza Municipio, you'll find the Japanese restaurant Asaka Sushi, which meets our accessibility requirements.

SEE YOU NEXT TIME!!