Curious Encounters with Oceania in the Collections of the Reggia di Capodimonte
Hear Carmine Romano, Ph.D., Director of Digital Initiatives at the Capodimonte Museum discuss his latest research:
Since its founding, the Reggia di Capodimonte – erected in 1734 as the residence of the Bourbon Kings of Naples – has gathered in its collections works and objects from across the globe. Notably, objects taken from Oceania by Captain James Cook (1728–1779) and Joseph Banks (1743–1820) entered Capodimonte’s collections shortly after the British voyage of 1768–1771. The talk will identify the ways in which these objects shaped Neapolitan culture, arguing that their encounters with some of the palace’s tenants – including Charles and Ferdinand of Bourbon and Elena of Savoy-Aosta – had repercussions for Capodimonte’s installations and the ways in which Neapolitans saw and conceived of one another.  To register, email: americanfriendsofcapodimonte@gmail.com