Inspirations: Ancient Greek Art Living in Italy

The Acropolis Museum has just launched a brilliant collaborative exhibition called Inspirations, making it the perfect excuse to head down and see some rare masterpieces that normally never leave Italy. The whole showcase is all about how ancient Greek style completely conquered the Italian peninsula centuries ago, playing on that famous line by the Roman poet Horace about how "captive Greece captured her savage conqueror." It is a really clever look at how our art, philosophy, and culture totally blew the minds of the Romans and Etruscans, essentially shaping the foundations of modern Western civilisation.

What makes this a total must-see is that they have managed to gather thirty-eight absolute masterpieces in ceramic, bronze, and marble for a rare appearance outside their home galleries. The display takes you through seven different chapters, tracking how Greek vibes travelled from early sea merchants right into the luxury villas of Roman aristocrats. It even brings you right up to the twentieth century to show how classical Greek art continued to inspire modern Italian legends like Canova and de Chirico. It is the perfect spot for a relaxed evening stroll if you want to see how our history is still alive and kicking across the Mediterranean.