ROME.- The Capitoline Museums are now hosting "A Polish Queen on the Capitoline Hill: Maria Casimira and the Royal Sobieski Family in Rome," an exhibition exploring the significant period when Polish royalty resided in the Eternal City. This display, which opened on June 11, 2025, and runs until September 21, 2025, marks the inaugural event of "Capitoline Crossroads of Cultures," a new series by the Capitoline Superintendence dedicated to international figures and events connected with Rome's iconic Capitoline Hill.

The exhibition spotlights Queen Maria Casimira Sobieska, who arrived in Rome for the Jubilee of 1700 and remained for nearly 15 years, during which she profoundly influenced Roman cultural life. Over 300 years later, coinciding with another Jubilee year, the exhibition aims to bring her story and that of the Sobieski family back to Rome.

Located on the third floor of Palazzo Caffarelli at the Capitoline Museums, the exhibition features approximately 60 works, including paintings, prints, sculptures, and archaeological artifacts, with some pieces on public display for the first time. The presentation is organized by Zètema Progetto Cultura and curated by Francesca Ceci, Jerzy Miziołek, and Francesca De Caprio. It is promoted by Roma Capitale and the Capitoline Superintendence, with patronage from the Polish Embassy, the Polish Institute in Rome, and the Polish Academy of Sciences. Collaborating institutions include the University of Warsaw, the National Institute of Polish Cultural Heritage Abroad Polonika, and the Museum of King Jan III Sobieski's Palace at Wilanów.
The Sobieski Presence in Rome

Maria Casimira de la Grange d’Arquien (1641-1716), a French-born queen, was the wife of King John III Sobieski of Poland, who famously halted the Ottoman advance at Vienna in 1683. After her husband's death, she moved to Rome, seeking refuge from succession conflicts. Her presence, along with her family, drew significant interest from the Roman populace and nobility. The Queen was also notably a member of the Accademia dell’Arcadia and a patron of musical and operatic events at her court in Palazzetto Zuccari.

The exhibition also acknowledges Maria Clementina Sobieska, Maria Casimira's granddaughter, who married James III Stuart, the Catholic pretender to the English throne. She too lived and died in Rome, actively participating in the city's cultural life during her exile.

Rome retains numerous direct and indirect monumental traces of the Sobieski family in its churches, palaces, and museums. The exhibition aims to connect these sites, from the funerary monument of Prince Aleksander Sobieski in the Church of the Capuchins to the cenotaph of Maria Clementina Sobieska in St. Peter's Basilica.
Exhibition Layout and Highlights

The exhibition is divided into five sections, beginning with an introduction to the key figures and their Roman presence. Subsequent sections delve into the Sobieski family’s life and death in Rome, including prints of funeral celebrations. A dedicated space highlights Maria Casimira's patronage of the arts, featuring a recreated fresco from her chapel at Palazzetto Zuccari and addressing her role in the Accademia dell’Arcadia.

Further sections are dedicated to Maria Clementina Sobieska Stuart, displaying portraits and a bronzed plaster bust. The final section celebrates John III Sobieski's victory at the Battle of Vienna, featuring works from the Museo di Roma and Polish institutions.

Beyond the main exhibition rooms in Palazzo Caffarelli, the display extends to other areas of the Capitoline Museums. In the Castellani III room, a marble epigraph with a portrait of Queen Maria Casimira commemorates her official reception on the Capitoline Hill in 1700. In Palazzo Nuovo, a marble tablet dedicated by the Roman Senate to Pope Innocent XI after the 1683 Battle of Vienna recognizes his role and mentions John III Sobieski.

The exhibition integrates both monumental and documentary evidence from the Capitoline Superintendence's collections, including prints and letters, complemented by loans from various Roman institutions and beyond. Notable loans include portraits from the Hospice of San Stanislao dei Polacchi, and previously unexhibited bronzed plaster busts of Maria Clementina Sobieska Stuart and Pope Clement XII from the Ursuline Sisters Roman Union. International loans from Poland, including works from the University of Warsaw and the Royal Castle in Warsaw, also contribute to the collection.

An auditory component featuring excerpts from 18th-century lyrical dramas, patronized by Queen Maria Clementina and specially recorded by the baroque ensemble "Giardino di Delizie," is integrated into the relevant section.

The exhibition is designed for broad accessibility, with three key works featuring tactile reproductions for visually impaired visitors. A comprehensive program of accompanying events, including conferences, concerts, lectures, and guided tours, is supported by the Polish Embassy, the Polish Institute in Rome, and the Polish Academy of Sciences.