From September 18 to December 8, 2026, Villa Carlotta in Tremezzina (CO) hosts the exhibition ''Dynasties of Europe on Lake Como,'' a major exhibition exploring a crucial and cosmopolitan chapter in the history of the villa.
Promoted by the Ente Villa Carlotta and curated by Maria Angela Previtera and Elena Lissoni, the exhibition is part of the celebrations for the bicentenary of the birth of Duke George II of Saxe-Meiningen (1826-2026), the last private owner of the Villa before the establishment of the Ente Villa Carlotta.
The exhibition traces the historical, artistic, and collecting events between 1843-the year the property was purchased by Marianne of Orange-Nassau, Princess of the Netherlands-and 1914, the date of Duke George II's death. It was Marianna who donated the villa to her daughter Carlotta on the occasion of her marriage to the Duke of Saxe-Meiningen, renaming it in his honor. George II, a celebrated figure in European culture and known as ''the Duke of the Theater,'' profoundly transformed the villa's architecture, art collections, and renowned gardens, attracting famous visitors of the time such as Johannes Brahms and Joseph Radetzky.
The exhibition brings together paintings, sculptures, photographs, park plans, and period documents from the Villa Carlotta collections, enriched by previously unpublished materials donated by family descendants and prestigious international loans. Partner institutions include the Meininger Museen, the Royal Collections of the Netherlands, the Paleis Het Loo, and the Amsterdam Museum, alongside important Italian institutions such as the Veneranda Biblioteca Ambrosiana and the Casa Museo Lodovico Pogliaghi.
For the occasion, a new permanent room was also set up dedicated to the Duke's collections of applied art, including fine silver, glass, and ceramics.
Promoted by the Ente Villa Carlotta and curated by Maria Angela Previtera and Elena Lissoni, the exhibition is part of the celebrations for the bicentenary of the birth of Duke George II of Saxe-Meiningen (1826-2026), the last private owner of the Villa before the establishment of the Ente Villa Carlotta.
The exhibition traces the historical, artistic, and collecting events between 1843-the year the property was purchased by Marianne of Orange-Nassau, Princess of the Netherlands-and 1914, the date of Duke George II's death. It was Marianna who donated the villa to her daughter Carlotta on the occasion of her marriage to the Duke of Saxe-Meiningen, renaming it in his honor. George II, a celebrated figure in European culture and known as ''the Duke of the Theater,'' profoundly transformed the villa's architecture, art collections, and renowned gardens, attracting famous visitors of the time such as Johannes Brahms and Joseph Radetzky.
The exhibition brings together paintings, sculptures, photographs, park plans, and period documents from the Villa Carlotta collections, enriched by previously unpublished materials donated by family descendants and prestigious international loans. Partner institutions include the Meininger Museen, the Royal Collections of the Netherlands, the Paleis Het Loo, and the Amsterdam Museum, alongside important Italian institutions such as the Veneranda Biblioteca Ambrosiana and the Casa Museo Lodovico Pogliaghi.
For the occasion, a new permanent room was also set up dedicated to the Duke's collections of applied art, including fine silver, glass, and ceramics.