When the Rijksmuseum is metamorphoses

From 6 February to 25 May, the Rijksmuseum located in Amsterdam, is hosting the Metamorphoses exhibition. Immersed in the world of Ovid, visitors are invited to discover nearly 80 works by artists spanning centuries and continents.

‘Everything changes, nothing perishes’ is Ovid's message in his poems entitled Metamorphoses. A true source of inspiration for artists, the Rijksmuseum is honouring this work of classical antiquity with its new temporary exhibition. From 6 February to 25 May 2026, nearly 80 works from around the world will be on display in various rooms of the museum. The work of artists such as Titian, Correggio, Cellini, Caravaggio and Rubens will be presented. Whether through painting, photography, sculpture, goldsmithing or ceramics, artists see Ovid's work as an inexhaustible source of ideas. A breeding ground for creativity with transformation as its common theme.

“The artists' bible”

Written in 8 AD, Ovid's Metamorphoses has inspired, and continues to inspire, the work of many artists, earning it the nickname ‘the artists' bible’. Through these tales, in which gods become animals and humans become stones or trees, Ovid takes us on a journey between imagination and subtle satire based on myth. By revisiting themes such as lust, desire, jealousy and cunning, each creator can appropriate these subjects and express them in a variety of forms.

Thus, Barberini Caravaggio embarked on his depiction of Narcissus. This young man falls in love with his reflection in the water, revealing painting as a mirror of reality. For his part, Rodin appropriated the myth of Pygmalion and Galatea in his sculpture, echoing the Greek myth in which Pygmalion, a sculptor, falls in love with his statue Galatea, who comes to life.

" In 1604, a Dutch painter and biographer wrote that "Ovid's Metamorphoses is the bible of artists". In a way, he confirmed what was already known: artists were drawn to this book and chose the most revealing and extraordinary stories they could depict. So, this Dutchman said: after the Bible, here you have the most famous source of inspiration," Frits Scholten, curator of the Metamorphoses exhibition.

Focus 

Lying gracefully on a pillow and mattress, it is hard to miss the sculpture called Sleeping Hermaphrodite. Part of the Louvre Museum's collection, it has been placed in a dark, intimate room for the occasion, inviting visitors to observe it carefully and quietly. Originally designed between 150 and 140 BC, then retouched by the Italian artist Bernini with the addition of a pedestal, this sculpture highlights the mythical character Hermaphrodite from Ovid's work.

One of the 250 stories in Metamorphoses, the tale of this character highlights the lust, desire and power that a man can crave. Salmacis, a nymph who fell madly in love with Hermaphroditus, begged the gods to unite them despite his rejection. Granting her wish, Salmacis wrapped herself around Hermaphroditus while he was bathing, merging their two bodies and leaving Hermaphroditus half-man, half-woman.

From Amsterdam to Rome

The Metamorphosis exhibition is on display until 25 May 2026 at the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, before moving on to Rome. With a slightly different layout, it will be open from 22 June to 20 September 2026.

Discover our report dedicated to this exhibition on our digital platform Museum TV.