Lecture by Dr. Olaf Kwapis: “Fountains. The Scenography of Baroque Rome”
About the event
As part of the accompanying program to the exhibition “Sobiescy i Stuartowie – blask i widmo korony” at the King Jan III Palace in Wilanów, we invite you to a lecture by Dr. Olaf Kwapis, an art historian and expert on early modern Italian art and medieval and Baroque Rome.
In Baroque Rome, fountains were works of art, statements of prestige, instruments of propaganda, and spectacles for the senses. The sound of water, movement and light, the sculptural skill of masters such as Bernini and Maderno, and the location — all created an artistic scenography in which everyday life mixed with spectacle, and urban space gained intense political and symbolic meaning. The fountains of Rome were the directors of the impressive and unique Baroque dramaturgy of the city, culminating points of sightlines, theatrical backdrops for squares and palaces, visual manifestos of the power of noble families and the papacy. From Piazza Navona to the Trevi Fountain — water, sculpture and architecture with the illusion of movement, rhythms and sensory dynamics created drama and emotional tension comparable to the splendor and pride of Baroque opera.
On an intellectual journey with Dr. Olaf Kwapis we will see how fountains shaped the rhythm of the city and the imagination of the era: how they guided the gaze, built tension, told stories of power and ambition, and why to this day they remain one of the most suggestive signs of the Eternal City. We invite those who want to learn about Baroque Rome from a new perspective; not only as a collection of exceptionally valuable monuments, but as a precisely staged space.
You are welcome!
Just awaken your curiosity — the Baroque will take care of the rest.
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For whom: youth and adults
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When: 28 February 2026, 12:00
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Where: Lanciego House, King Jan III Palace in Wilanów (Warsaw)
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Tickets: 20 zł. Bilety dostępne online i w kasie muzeum
More information about the educational program accompanying the exhibition: More information
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