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The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston

Michelangelo and the Vatican: Masterworks from the Museo e Real Bosco di Capodimonte, Naples

Sunday, Mar. 11, 2018 – Sunday, Jun. 10, 2018

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Masterworks by Michelangelo and his contemporaries highlight the artistic legacy of Pope Paul III and the vital role that drawing played in art production throughout Europe in the late 15th and 16th centuries. Michelangelo and the Vatican features drawings, cartoons, paintings, sculpture, and prints by Renaissance master Michelangelo and his predecessors and successors across Italy, including Raphael, Titian, and Tintoretto.

Largely drawn from the renowned collection of the Capodimonte Museum in Naples, Italy, the exhibition presents 40 works from the 16th century, many of which were commissioned or completed during the papacy of Alessandro Farnese, Pope Paul III. Remembered for his enthusiastic patronage of the arts in general, and of Michelangelo (1475–1564) in particular, Pope Paul III oversaw the completion of Michelangelo’s stupendous fresco The Last Judgment on the altar wall of the Sistine Chapel. The exhibition features a unique, large-scale copy of The Last Judgment painted in oil by Marcello Venusti.

Additional highlights include two of Michelangelo’s finest monumental drawings: Venus Kissed by Cupid and Roman Soldiers; as well as two iconic portraits of Pope Paul III by Italy’s greatest Renaissance masters: Raphael and Titian. Complementing the Capodimonte Museum loans are works from the Vatican, New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art, the University of Chicago Library, private collectors, and the MFAH collections.

► Audio Tour
The optional audio tour features fascinating insights from the curators about the exhibition and the works on view. Audio-tour players, based on availability, are located at the exhibition entrance. Offered in both English and Spanish.

► Exhibition Admission
Tickets, available online and on-site, include access to the Museum’s art collections.

Make It a Combo! Save when you combine your tickets to Michelangelo and the Vatican with admission to The Glamour and Romance of Oscar de la Renta and/or Peacock in the Desert. A two-exhibition combo pack is $30—and, during Spring Break (March 11–18), a combo pack for all three exhibitions is still just $30! Learn more about combo tickets.

HOURS & ADMISSION

  • Wednesday, 11:00 am - 5:00 pm
    Thursday, 11:00 am - 9:00 pm
    Friday - Saturday, 11:00 am - 6:00 pm
    Sunday , 12:30 pm - 6:00 pm
    • Monday (Except selected holidays) | Closed.
    • Tuesday | Closed.
    • Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day | Closed.
  • Museum Admission

    ALL ACCESS tickets provide entry to Special Exhibitions and the MFAH Permanent Collections. Purchase online or drop by any admissions desk.
    • MFAH Member  FREE
    • ALL ACCESS (Adult 19+)  $24
    • ALL ACCESS (Senior 65+ with ID)  $20
    • ALL ACCESS (Youth 13–18)  $20
    • ALL ACCESS (Child 12 & Under)  FREE
    • *Thursday MFAH Permanent Collections (All Ages)  FREE
    • *Thursday ALL ACCESS (13 & Up)  $10
    On Thursday, admission to the MFAH Permanent Collections is free for all individuals, courtesy of Shell USA, Inc. Special Exhibitions require a separate, discounted ALL ACCESS ticket.

Directions & Parking

  • Free Parking
  • Paid Parking
  • Street Parking

Special Offers / Dining

Paolo Fronza, from Fellini Caffè, runs this sophisticated dining operation. Enjoy an array of Italian-inspired fare with a Texas flair, a European-style coffee bar, a kids menu, and much more at the MFA Café, located on the lower level of the Beck Building.

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