A new jewelry exhibition in Rome explores Cartier’s dialogue with antiquity

A captivating new jewelry exhibition has opened in Rome, bringing Cartier’s storied heritage into conversation with the grandeur of classical antiquity. Cartier & Myths at the Capitoline Museums, on view from November 14th, 2025, to March 15th, 2026, traces how the Maison has long drawn inspiration from the ancient world, turning millennia-old symbols into modern high artistry.

The project is housed in the historic Palazzo Nuovo of the Capitoline Museums and marks the first temporary exhibition ever to be staged in the 17th-century palace — an apt setting for a show where contemporary craftsmanship meets ancient memory.

High jewelry through the lens of antiquity

Curators Bianca Cappello, Stéphane Verger and Claudio Parisi Presicce present an extensive selection of high jewelry creations from the Cartier Collection, spanning the 19th and 20th centuries. These pieces are set in thoughtful dialogue with marble masterpieces from the famed Albani Collection and rare artefacts loaned by Italian and international institutions.

Rather than simply pairing jewels with statuary, the exhibition maps Cartier’s evolving fascination with Greece and Rome: from 19th-century historicist “pastiches,” to the refined Neoclassical Garland style, to post-war designs influenced by Jean Cocteau, and finally to modern interpretations of myth and form. Visitors follow this progression as an organic journey of style, each era revealing a new facet of how ancient imagery was reimagined in precious stones and metal.

Ancient sculptures as creative counterparts

At the heart of the exhibition lies the juxtaposition of Cartier’s works with ancient sculptures of Aphrodite, Dionysus, Apollo, Heracles, Zeus and Demeter. These deities, central to Western artistic tradition, serve as silent counterparts to Cartier’s creations inspired by mythology. This juxtaposition highlights how classical aesthetics have been a powerful source of inspiration within the Maison’s creative universe since the early 20th century.

The exhibition design, conceived by Sylvain Roca with contributions from Dante Ferretti, enhances this dialogue with atmospheric lighting, multisensory displays, and olfactory elements developed by Cartier’s perfumer, Mathilde Laurent. Semi-precious stones from Cartier’s glyptic workshop further enrich the narrative, echoing ancient traditions of carving and symbolism.

Cartier & Myths at the Capitoline Museums runs at Musei Capitolini, Palazzo Nuovo, through March 15th, 2026, offering visitors a rare chance to witness a centuries-spanning conversation between jewellery, heritage and antiquity.