Recently, a group of Elmwood’s students of Latin and Classics had an amazing opportunity to see a collection of artworks called The Torlonia Marbles which has just opened at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts. The Torlonia Marbles are a private collection of several hundred 2000-year-old Classical sculptures found on the estates of the Torlonia family in Italy, or acquired as payments, over the past several centuries; it has only recently been shared with the public, traveling now for the first time outside of Italy. Only three museums in North America were selected to host this group of works from the collection, and Montreal is the only Canadian stop.
One of the most interesting things about this collection of statues, sarcophagi and monuments is that the objects are so complete - usually, statues this old are missing features which have broken off and disappeared over time. Because the Torlonia family over the centuries were sometimes able to combine elements of broken statues to make more complete ones (something which would not happen today), this collection features remarkably complete works of art. At this museum, the curators have carefully presented each piece in a context to help viewers understand it, and they have identified which elements were original, which are ancient pieces added on, and which are modern stone restorations. This level of detail really helped us see what the original works of art would have looked like during the time of Rome’s emperors, and to understand the importance of preserving and protecting ancient artworks.
The students participating in this trip had an incredible opportunity to explore the collection and learn about the ancient Roman world’s diverse cultures, peoples, belief systems and experiences. This understanding complements their work in Latin and Classical Civilization, adding to their exploration of the lives and language from two millennia ago, and their impact in the world around us today.