From May 16 to September 28, 2025, the Galleria d’Arte Moderna Ca’ Pesaro will host “Giulio Aristide Sartorio – The Poem of Human Life”, an extraordinary exhibition curated by Matteo Piccolo and Elisabetta Barisoni.
A central figure in early Italian Symbolism and a member of In Arte Libertas, Sartorio was a frequent presence at the Venice Biennale from its inaugural edition. In 1906, upon the invitation of Antonio Fradeletto, Sartorio was commissioned to create a monumental decorative cycle for the 1907 International Exhibition. The result was The Poem of Human Life, a profound allegorical narrative painted over 230 square meters, illustrating existence through mythological themes—Light, Darkness, Love, and Death—flanked by ten vertical panels that symbolize Grace and Art.
Executed in just nine months with a unique mix of wax, turpentine, and poppy oil, Sartorio’s work blends Mediterranean and Nordic influences, stripped of architectural framing and rich in dynamic, symbolic figuration. The cycle was lauded by contemporaries including Gabriele d’Annunzio and gifted to Ca’ Pesaro in 1909 by Vittorio Emanuele III.
After a major restoration completed in 2019, supported by scientific analysis from Ca’ Foscari University, this seminal work returns fully to public view. The exhibition is enriched by archival materials and contemporary works from the Biennale, offering visitors a comprehensive context to rediscover this masterpiece of early 20th-century Italian art.
Website: www.visitmuve.it
Location: Ca’ Pesaro Gallery, Venice
Schedule: from May 16 to Sep. 28, 2025
