The National Museum of Chiusi and the National Museum of Taranto sign an agreement: start with an exhibition on Andromeda

A link between past and present unites the National Archaeological Museum in Taranto and the National Etruscan Museum in Chiusi. Two female figures, Penelope and Andromeda, serve as a common thread in an initiative to exchange and enhance archaeological heritage. From April 9 to July 6, 2025, the Tuscan museum will host the exhibition A Woman Among the Stars: the Myth of Andromeda, which will display two Apulian red-figure vases from the MArTa. A project made possible thanks to the collaboration between the two institutions, which have signed an agreement to promote each other through the cross-display of artifacts.

The opening of the event is scheduled for April 9 at 5 p.m., with the contribution of the City of Chiusi Archaeological Group. In parallel, the museum in Taranto has been hosting another masterpiece since last March 8: the skyphos of the Painter of Penelope, an Attic red-figure vase from 440 B.C., part of the international exhibition Penelope, curated by Alessandra Sarchi and Claudio Franzoni and produced by Electa. The two finds on display in Chiusi are examples of Apulian red-figure pottery, testifying to the sophistication of southern Italian artists in the 4th century BCE. The first is a monumental crater, dated between 410 and 400 B.C., decorated with the scene of Andromeda’s liberation. According to the myth, the young girl had been condemned to be sacrificed to a sea monster to appease the wrath of Poseidon, unleashed by the vanity of her mother Cassiopeia. The princess’ fate was changed, however, by the hero Perseus, who managed to save her. The second vase is a pelike, dating from 340-330 BCE and attributed to the Painter of Darius, depicting the reconciliation between Andromeda and her parents. A rare subject, it shows the humanity of the legend, dwelling on the family dimension and the consequences of the mythological event.

Finds returned: the return of an archaeological treasure to Italy

Apulian ceramic masterpieces have been returned to Italy from the Paul Getty Museum in Malibu, thanks to an operation conducted by the Carabinieri’s Cultural Heritage Protection Unit. Their story is intertwined with that of the recovery of stolen archaeological goods, a central issue in the protection of the national cultural heritage.

The agreement between the National Etruscan Museum of Chiusi and the National Archaeological Museum of Taranto is part of a broader strategy to enhance the value of Italy’s heritage. The agreement, signed by Tuscany’s regional director of museums Stefano Casciu and MArTa director Stella Falzone, was overseen by Fabrizio Vallelonga, director of the National Archaeological Museum in Chiusi, and MArTa archaeological officer Agnese Lojacono.

The National Museum of Chiusi and the National Museum of Taranto sign an agreement: start with an exhibition on Andromeda

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