by Nina Vaclavikova
Interviews: Oronzo Cilli (curator) Alessandro Nicosia (co-curator and Organisator)
A sweeping exhibition dedicated to J.R.R. Tolkien, the English writer and philologist best known for The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, has opened at the Salone degli Incanti, one of the city’s main cultural venues.
Titled “Tolkien. Uomo, Professore, Autore” (“Tolkien. Man, Professor, Author”), the show is being presented as the largest retrospective ever staged in Italy on the author. It brings together manuscripts, letters, proof editions, memorabilia, and more than 100 artworks inspired by Middle-earth.
The exhibition, promoted by Italy’s Ministry of Culture in collaboration with Oxford University, also involves a range of international partners including the University of Reading, the Tolkien Society, the Warner Bros. archives, and several European museums and foundations.
Among the highlights is Tolkien’s academic gown, worn during his years teaching at Oxford, shown in Italy for the first time. Visitors can also explore the author’s ties to the country, including his travels to Venice and Assisi in 1955 and his influence on Italian publishers, artists, and musicians. A section of the exhibition traces the evolution of Tolkien-inspired illustration, featuring works by Alan Lee, Ted Nasmith, the Hildebrandt brothers, and David T. Wenzel.
The show also addresses Tolkien on screen, from Ralph Bakshi’s 1978 animated adaptation to Peter Jackson’s film trilogy, which won 17 Academy Awards.
The exhibition has already been shown in Rome, Naples, Turin, and Catania, and will remain in Trieste until January 11, 2026.
Tickets cost between €2 and €12, with discounts for students, families, and seniors. The show is open Tuesday through Sunday, with extended hours on select dates.
