Osaka City Museum of Fine Arts

At the recently concluded Osaka Expo, the Italy Pavilion exhibited several masterpieces under the theme ‘Art Regenerates Life’ to showcase the country’s rich artistic legacy. These priceless works were specially curated to trace the evolution of Western art from antiquity to the Renaissance. As 2026 marks 160 years of diplomatic relations between Japan and Italy, the Osaka City Museum of Fine Arts is presenting a special exhibition featuring selected works from the Italy Pavilion. The three principal pieces on display exemplify the universal human ideals of faith, justice and knowledge. Measuring 193cm in height, the imposing Farnese Atlas from the 2nd century AD is widely celebrated as one of the greatest examples of classical sculpture. It depicts the giant Atlas from Greek mythology carrying the celestial sphere on his shoulders, with the globe intricately carved with constellations and the zodiac. The Renaissance master Leonardo da Vinci created the Codex Atlanticus in the 15th century, a collection of drawings and writings covering his wide-ranging intellectual pursuits, from mathematics and astronomy to civil engineering and military technology. Selected pages from this collection are being displayed in Japan for the first time. Completing the trio is the Banner of Justice (1496) by Pietro Vannucci, known as Perugino, the esteemed teacher of another Renaissance figure, Raphael. This oil-on-canvas painting is a notable example of religious art from the Italian...