Etruschi e Veneti.
Acque, culti e santuari
(Etruscans and Veneti. Waters, Cults and Sanctuaries)

Fondazione Luigi Rovati presents the exhibition Etruschi e Veneti. Acque, culti e santuari (Etruscans and Veneti. Waters, Cults and Sanctuaries), a major exhibition project developed in collaboration with the Fondazione Musei Civici di Venezia and under the patronage of the Italian Ministry of Culture and the National Institute for Etruscan and Italic Studies. Curated by Giovanna Gambacurta, Laura Maria Michetti and Giulio Paolucci, the exhibition continues, in the Art Museum’s Underground Floor, the journey that began at the Doge’s Palace in Venice from 6 March to 29 September 2026, presenting a distinct yet complementary project.

The exhibition offers an original and distinctive comparison of the foundational role of water within the sacred sphereand in the development of two major civilisations of pre-Roman Italy, the Etruscans and the Veneti, during the first millennium BC. Seas, rivers, healing springs and thermal waters served as privileged settings for contact with the divine: places of healing, often connected to myth and inhabited by deities, but also spaces that supported community life, travel and cultural exchange. The exhibition highlights the similarities and differences between the Etruscans and the Veneti: convergences in their choice of materials, particularly terracotta and bronze, and in their votive practices, including the deposition of offerings in water and the use of miniature or deliberately non-functional objects; and divergences in the monumental scale and elaborate terracotta decoration of the great Etruscan sanctuaries. At several points in the exhibition, Etruscan and Venetic artefacts are placed in direct dialogue, making these connections visually apparent.

The exhibition is structured around the principal archaeological contexts associated with water, without drawing a rigid distinction between the two cultural spheres. The section Sacri approdi (Sacred Landings) explores sites including the river port-sanctuary of Este, where the relationship between the goddess Reitia, writing and women’s activities such as spinning and weaving played a central role; Pyrgi, a major Mediterranean port characterised by profound connections between worship, navigation and political power; and Altino, which was open to both Adriatic and inland lagoon routes.

The section Acque miracolose (Miraculous Waters), presented beneath the three domes of the Underground Floor, explores the theme of healing springs through finds from the Etruscan sites of Vulci, Chianciano, Chiusi and Marzabotto, and from the Veneto sites of Montegrotto and Lagole di Calalzo. Of particular importance are the finds from San Casciano dei Bagni: eight bronzes bearing witness to advanced medical practices and complex rituals connected with water, divination and bodily health.

The exhibition is complemented by an evocative installation by the artist Mauro Ceolin, who has used drawing as a means of making the content more accessible and supporting visitors’ understanding of the objects on display.

STUDY DAY

On Saturday, 7 November, Lucio Rovati and Vittorio Alessandro Sironi will moderate a study day exploring the role of water as a therapeutic, medicinal and cosmetic resource, from antiquity to the present day.

MEDIA PARTNER

Radio Monte Carlo is the radio station of art and major exhibitions. The Italian broadcaster based in the Principality of Monaco has long distinguished itself through the quality of its entertainment and its selection of valuable content, ranging from art and culture to fashion and design. These qualities have made its name synonymous with class, style and elegance. In keeping with this positioning, Radio Monte Carlo will promote the exhibition through its programmes, website (www.radiomontecarlo.net) and social media channels.

GUIDED VISITS

Guided tour of the exhibition every Saturday at 11.00 and 17.00.

WORKSHOPS FOR FAMILIES

Sunday 25 October, Sunday 8 November and Saturday 12 December, at 4.00 pm: Etruscans and Veneti: Deities, Sacred Waters and Small Offerings to the Gods, a workshop with a guided tour for children aged 6 to 10 (duration: 90 minutes).

With the patronage of the Ministry of Culture and the National Institute of Etruscan and Italic Studies.