Casanova the eternal

Throughout 2025, Giacomo Casanova’s diverse legacy inspired exhibitions across Venice, culminating in two major autumn shows by the Fondazione Giorgio Cini. Casanova e Venezia (Palazzo Cini, Sept 27-Mar 2, 2026) explores the vibrant eighteenth-century Venetian cultural scene that shaped Casanova – a writer, philosopher, alchemist, and traveler – through nearly one hundred pieces, including rare ones by Canaletto and Guardi. Central to the exhibit is Anton Maria Zanetti’s Album of Caricatures, offering a witty glimpse into the theatrical world that deeply influenced Casanova’s life. The second chapter, Casanova e l’Europa. Opera in più atti (San Giorgio Island, Oct 17-Mar 2), highlights Casanova’s European spirit and intellectual journey amid the continent’s cultural and political shifts. Featuring multimedia and interdisciplinary content, it reflects on the transition from the ancien régime to the Napoleonic and industrial eras, showcasing Casanova as a witness to, and product of, a changing Europe.

Feature image: Johann Heinrich Tischbein il Vecchio, Giocatori al ridotto, 1751 ca., Brema, Galerie Neuse