This richly illustrated exhibition catalog explores the enduring influence of Ovid’s Metamorphoses, one of the most important literary works of Classical Antiquity, on the visual arts across centuries. Often described as a “Bible for artists,” Ovid’s text has inspired generations of painters and sculptors with its vivid narratives of transformation, desire, and the complex interplay between gods, humans, and nature.
Bringing together works from Antiquity to the present, the publication traces how artists have interpreted Ovid’s mythological stories in diverse media, from marble and bronze sculpture to painting and contemporary visual forms. Masterpieces by artists such as Titian, Caravaggio, Bernini, Rubens, and Rodin are presented alongside later reinterpretations, revealing the continuity and evolution of these themes over time.
The catalog situates these works within a broader cultural and artistic framework, emphasizing the role of transformation, not only as a narrative device, but as a fundamental concept in artistic creation. Ovid’s myths become a lens through which to explore universal human emotions, including love, jealousy, ambition, and loss.
Featuring essays by leading scholars and richly detailed reproductions, this volume serves both as a scholarly resource and a visually compelling exploration of mythology’s lasting impact on art. Published in connection with exhibitions at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam and the Galleria Borghese in Rome, it offers a rare opportunity to engage with one of the most influential texts in Western culture through the lens of art history.
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