The Etruscans in the Netherlands. 40 years after the Etruscan Project

From December 6, 2025 to March 15, 2026, the MAEC - Etruscan Academy Museum and the City of Cortona will be hosting an exhibition of 150 works, including 10 striking bronzes from the Corazzi Collection from the Rijksmuseum van Oudheden in Leiden.

The exhibition entitled “Gli Etruschi in Olanda” (The Etruscans in the Netherlands). Forty years after the Etruscan Project” celebrates the longstanding bond between Cortona and the city of Leiden, under the banner of Etruscan culture and international collaboration. It marks a new chapter in the appreciation of archaeological heritage and memory, as part of the celebrations of the Tuscany Region's 1985 Etruscan Project, a key moment in the cultural history of Tuscany and Italy, when archaeology, once knowledge for only a few, began a journey leading to its sharing among a larger audience.

There are five sections, taking you through the evolution of archaeological thinking and collecting, from the 18th century to the present day. It starts from the "Etruscan Project" (1985) and then the growing interest in archaeology (1727-1826) with the emergence of the Etruscan Academy and the rediscovery of its origins. It then moves on to the section that leads to the Netherlands and subsequently to the Etruscan collection in Leiden, by means of a journey through Cortona's findings to the Rijksmuseum and the history of European collecting. The fourth stage is the enhancement of national cultural heritage, with the great archaeological discoveries made in the Cortona area and the more recent international collaborations. Last is the topic of the influence of the Etruscans on contemporary art.

The return of part of the Corazzi Collection to Cortona, previously transferred to the Netherlands 200 years ago and made up of exceptional Etruscan bronzes, is an opportunity to reflect on the importance of the international connections that were fundamental to the history of the Cortona Academy. The initiative also comes ahead of the 300th anniversary celebration of the Etruscan Academy of Cortona (1727-2027).