Italian cultural exhibitions explore historical nature and science

Two distinct cultural exhibitions in Italy are highlighting historical approaches to nature and science.

In Turin, Palazzo Madama is hosting “Giardini. L’arte di vivere la natura nel Settecento” (Gardens: The Art of Living Nature in the Eighteenth Century). Curated by Clelia Arnaldi, the exhibition features drawings, botanical plates, engravings, and watercolors that explore the history and lifestyle associated with 18th-century gardens. The display traces the evolution from the Renaissance-era “Italian garden,” characterized by geometric rigor and symmetry, to the more artificial and grand Baroque styles.

In Mantua, Palazzo d'Arco is presenting “Naturae – Collezioni scientifiche,” an exhibition dedicated to the 19th-century scientific culture of Count Luigi d'Arco (1795-1872). Running from October 2026 to January 2027, the exhibition showcases wax models, rare artifacts, and Japanese woodblock prints. It highlights d'Arco's multidisciplinary studies in botany, geology, and entomology, utilizing scientific instruments from the Liceo Virgilio and loans from the Castello del Buonconsiglio.