The great exhibition with which Mart is inaugurating its new exhibition season is an original and in-depth analysis of the ways in which the Urbino master's work influenced the research of three great 20th century artists: Picasso, de Chirico, Dalí.
Although approaching Raphael in wholly different ways, the three artists were inspired by the lesson that his work provided, which they studied, quoted and interpreted throughout their long careers.

Whilst de Chirico openly showed his admiration for Raphael, whom he considered an important source of reference during the development of his poetical Metaphysical art and successive classical period, Dalí made no mystery about his veneration of this great master. Regarding him as a legend, the Spaniard looked towards him from the outset of his youth, before producing some extraordinary reworkings during the WW2 postbellum period. On the other hand, Picasso never confessed to his direct encounter with the Renaissance master's work, despite the latter appearing to have influenced some of the Spaniard’s masterpieces, inspiring an irreverent series of etchings dedicated to the theme of Raphael and La Fornarina.

The exhibition is structured into 8 themed sections, three of which explore each artist's individual rapport with Raphael's art, which was learned and systematic for de Chirico, vehemently self-identificatory for Dalí, and more immediate and critical for Picasso.
Featuring 100 masterpieces that illustrate the dialogue between ancient and modern art, loans have been sourced from some of the most important international museums, such as Gallerie degli Uffizi, Musée national Picasso (Paris) and Fundació Gala-Salvador Dalí (Figueres). The exhibition set-up has been designed by Contemplazioni.

A fully illustrated catalogue by Silvana Editoriale containing academic essays by the two curators Beatrice Avanzi and Victoria Noel-Johnson, as well as Vittorio Sgarbi, Daniela Ferrari and Lucia Moni, has been published on occasion of the exhibition.