Project co-financed by the European Union from the European Regional Development Fund
Project co-financed by the European Union from the European Regional Development Fund
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14 May – 25 October 2026 Xawery Dunikowski Museum of Sculpture in Królikarnia
17 April – 13 September 2026 The National Museum in Warsaw
The exhibition brings together various interpretations of the theme, which has left a lasting mark on European culture. From the modern era onward, artists have revisited Arcadian motifs, depicting the charming realm of shepherds, shepherdesses, nymphs and satyrs. They have also metaphorically related to these themes, communicating, in various ways, the human longing for happiness. The Arcadian topos found expression in images of courtly gardens, rural noble estates, exotic lands and picturesque regions, where one could feel a harmonious bond with nature.
The exhibition showcases a diverse set of artworks, ranging from the early Renaissance to the present day: paintings, sculptures, drawings, prints, photographs, and exquisite examples of decorative arts (tapestries, ceramics, costumes). Most objects on display are from the NMW collection, alongside paintings from other Polish collections (the Royal Łazienki Museum, the Royal Castle at Wawel, and the National Museums in Kraków and Poznań) and foreign museums (Musée du Louvre, Musée d’Orsay in Paris, Kunsthistorisches Museum Wien). Visitors will have the opportunity to admire works by prominent European painters: Claude Lorrain, François Boucher, Jean-Baptiste Pater, Camille Corot, Henryk Siemiradzki, Zofia Stryjeńska, Arnold Böcklin, Pierre Bonnard, Józef Mehoffer, and Jacek Malczewski. Contemporary artists will be featured too, Mirosław Bałka, Jarosław Kozakiewicz, Diana Lelonek, Cecylia Malik, Agnieszka Piksa, Karol Radziszewski and Anna Siekierska. The exhibition will conclude with works by the youngest generation of artists and collectives active at the intersection of arts and social issues. Through their practice, they breathe new life into the classical Arcadian myth, reflecting on the state of the earth and technology’s devastating impact on the natural world.
This exhibition contains materials that may not be appropriate for children and teenagers.
