This morning, Montreal crunches and creaks under a thin layer of ice that transforms its ugliest badly parked cars into sculptures pulled from the waters after the discovery of a ship that sank in the 15th century. The streets, the streetlights, the umbrellas if left open too long—there is something miraculous about the statuesque immobility of the city.
After ice, only marble can enhance the beauty of a motionless world. Fortunately, the Museum of Fine Arts is hosting a sublime exhibition of 57 Roman marbles: sarcophagi, statues, busts, miracles. The exhibition of the Torlonia Collection opens on Saturday, March 14, 2026.
Mystical Marbles
The marbles from the Torlonia collection on display at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts date from the 5th century BCE to the 4th century CE—most were produced during the Antonine dynasty (1st-2nd century), considered the height of the Roman Empire.
Among the 57 marbles, visitors can see mystical and deified creatures and figures: Hestia, Cupid, Aphrodite, Artemis, the labors of Hercules. We are also very eager to see the iconic sculpture of a reclining goat in person. Many of the marbles have been recently restored, so the beauty of the flesh immobilized in the material will be at its peak.
Find out more here!Practical Information
Where? Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, 1380 Sherbrooke Street West
When? The Torlonia Collection: Masterpieces of Roman Sculpture, from March 14 to July 19, 2026, open Tuesday to Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
How much? $31 for ages 26 and over, $15.50 on Wednesday evenings, free for ages 25 and under, members of Indigenous communities, and people with disabilities and their companions.
Beautiful exhibition!
