A project that reconstructs and deconstructs the artist’s figure, revealing a rebellious and radiant soul suspended between her deep roots and an urgent creative drive.
The exhibition explores the complex and multifaceted world of Sveva Caetani, interweaving works, documents and archival materials to convey the depth of her personal and artistic history.
At the heart of the exhibition is Recapitulation, a monumental cycle of 47 watercolours conceived in 1975 and worked on for over fourteen years. It is a symbolic narrative of her family history and her inner journey, deeply influenced by her father. For the first time, the series is being presented in its entirety in Italy, thus fulfilling the artist’s wish, which remained unfulfilled during her lifetime.
The daughter of Leone Caetani, Prince of Teano and Duke of Sermoneta, Sveva Caetani (Rome, 1917 – Vernon, Canada, 1994) spent her life in Vernon, Canada, where her family settled after her father chose to emigrate with his second partner, Ofelia Fabiani. Following her father’s death in 1935 and the hardships faced by her mother, Sveva experienced a long period of various forms of isolation until 1960.
The result of a collaboration between various Italian and international institutions, the project also features works by Carlo Benvenuto (Stresa, Italy, 1966) and Houda Kabbaj (Casablanca, Morocco, 1985), created specifically for the occasion.
header: Sveva Caetani, ‘Ramping Medusa’, 1980, ‘Recapitulation’ series, watercolour on paper, cm 75,5 × 56 © Caetani Cultural Centre Society, Vernon, BC, Canada
A project that reconstructs and deconstructs the artist’s figure, revealing a rebellious and radiant soul suspended between her deep roots and an urgent creative drive.
The exhibition explores the complex and multifaceted world of Sveva Caetani, interweaving works, documents and archival materials to convey the depth of her personal and artistic history.
At the heart of the exhibition is Recapitulation, a monumental cycle of 47 watercolours conceived in 1975 and worked on for over fourteen years. It is a symbolic narrative of her family history and her inner journey, deeply influenced by her father. For the first time, the series is being presented in its entirety in Italy, thus fulfilling the artist’s wish, which remained unfulfilled during her lifetime.
The daughter of Leone Caetani, Prince of Teano and Duke of Sermoneta, Sveva Caetani (Rome, 1917 – Vernon, Canada, 1994) spent her life in Vernon, Canada, where her family settled after her father chose to emigrate with his second partner, Ofelia Fabiani. Following her father’s death in 1935 and the hardships faced by her mother, Sveva experienced a long period of various forms of isolation until 1960.
The result of a collaboration between various Italian and international institutions, the project also features works by Carlo Benvenuto (Stresa, Italy, 1966) and Houda Kabbaj (Casablanca, Morocco, 1985), created specifically for the occasion.
header: Sveva Caetani, ‘Ramping Medusa’, 1980, ‘Recapitulation’ series, watercolour on paper, cm 75,5 × 56 © Caetani Cultural Centre Society, Vernon, BC, Canada
Cataloghi della mostra
2025 exhibition’s catalogue
Sveva Caetani. Forma e Frammento