‘Tolkien. Man, Professor, Author’: A Triumph of Literature and Culture
The exhibition ‘Tolkien. Man, Professor, Author’, an illustrious project conceived and promoted by the Ministry of Culture in a commendable collaboration with the University of Oxford, has been a resounding success. The display was inaugurated with much fanfare on the 15th of November at the prestigious National Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art in Rome by none other than the Minister of Culture, Gennaro Sangiuliano. The ceremony was graced with the presence of the President of the Senate, Ignazio La Russa, and the President of the Council of Ministers, Giorgia Meloni.
Open to the public from the 15th of November 2023 until the 11th of February 2024, the exhibition saw an impressive turnout of 80,226 visitors, with an astounding 2,091 attendees on the final day itself.
Public Reception and Critical Acclaim
The Minister of Culture, Gennaro Sangiuliano, reflects on the exhibition’s success, “The exhibition on Tolkien was an extraordinary success in terms of content, underlined by the enormous turnout of the public. The attendance surpassed those typically seen at the National Gallery of Modern Art. The exhibition sparked an engaging debate, even inviting criticism – a testament to its impact. Conversations around literature always encourage robust intellectual discourse, which is a positive outcome. The exhibition served to highlight Tolkien’s enduring values of solidarity, friendship, environmental preservation, and above all, the protection of the human spirit against the erasure by nihilism.”
Future Exhibitions: From Rome to Naples and Beyond
After its fruitful run in Rome, the exhibition will continue its journey to Naples, setting up at the Palazzo Reale from the 15th of March until the 30th of June. Further plans are in place to take the exhibition to the cities of Turin and Catania, spreading the magic of Tolkien’s work far and wide.
