Exposition: “Metamorphoses”, Amsterdam, Rijksmuseum, du 6 février 2026 au 25 mai 2026
Passion, desire, lust, jealousy, cunning and deceit. The Rijksmuseum takes you on a journey into one of the greatest and most important sources of inspiration for artists: The Metamorphoses by the poet Ovid.
This classic from antiquity has been read and reinterpreted by artists for centuries. In the major spring exhibition Metamorphoses, you dive into Ovid’s two-thousand-year-old poem about vengeful gods, ingenious heroes and high-minded mortals.
More than 80 masterpieces
Metamorphoses brings together over 80 masterpieces from museums and collections around the world. From Titian, Correggio, and Caravaggio to Rodin, Brancusi, Magritte, and Bourgeois. The exhibition features paintings, sculptures, goldsmith’s work, and ceramics, alongside contemporary photography and video art. It is a special collaboration with the Galleria Borghese in Rome.
Historic and contemporary
Historic masterpieces and contemporary works come together in this exhibition. Alongside iconic works such as Correggio’s Jupiter and Io and Titian’s Danaë, you will also encounter modern interpretations of Ovid’s stories. These include the boundary-pushing work of Ulay and a video installation by Juul Kraijer, inspired by the myth of Medusa.
Bible for artists
‘All things change, but nothing dies.’ This idea lies at the heart of Ovid’s Metamorphoses, written around 8 AD. Humans, animals, and gods constantly change shape: from Arachne, the weaver turned into a spider, to Jupiter, who disguises himself as a bull, a swan or a shower of gold to deceive his jealous wife and his lovers. In 1604, the Dutch painter and writer Karel van Mander famously called the Metamorphoses a ‘Bible for artists’. The richness and variety of works inspired by Ovid shows just how true that still is today.
Audio tour with Stephen Fry
Choose the audio tour! Discover the stories of Metamorphoses with Stephen Fry at your side.
Accessibility
The exhibition is wheelchair accessible.
Thanks to
The exhibition Metamorphoses is made possible by The Bennink Foundation/Rijksmuseum Fonds, Blockbusterfonds, Rijksmuseum International Circle, Rijksmuseum Patrons and the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science.
OpenEdition vous propose de citer ce billet de la manière suivante :
melineegout (24 avril 2026). Exposition: “Metamorphoses”, Amsterdam, Rijksmuseum, du 6 février 2026 au 25 mai 2026. Collectif d'Historiens de l'Art de la Renaissance. Consulté le 5 juin 2026 à l’adresse https://doi.org/10.58079/164ov



