The Beauty that Awaits the Church: The Exhibition on Maritain and Sacred Art at the Vatican Museums

Introduction

The exhibition "The Beauty that Awaits the Church in Every Age: Jacques Maritain, Paul VI and the Renewal of Sacred Art in France and Italy (1945-1973)" is one of the most significant cultural events in Rome and Italy in 2025. Open at the prestigious Vatican Museums until 20 September, the exhibition offers a unique opportunity to explore the role of sacred art in the post-war period and the decisive influence of two key figures: Jacques Maritain and Pope Paul VI.

Origin and significance of the exhibition

The decision to inaugurate the exhibition on the anniversary of Jacques Maritain's arrival as French ambassador to the Holy See has great symbolic and historical significance. This event is not only a tribute to the French thinker but also an invitation to rediscover the centrality of art as a tool for intercultural and spiritual dialogue. The exhibition is structured as a complex narrative, focusing on how beauty awaits the Church 'at all times', urging it to respond to the challenges and changes of modernity without renouncing its spiritual and cultural roots.

Jacques Maritain: ambassador and philosopher between art and faith

Jacques Maritain is not only remembered as one of the greatest neo-Thomist philosophers of the 20th century, but also as a figure capable of embodying the value of dialogue between faith and art. In his role as French ambassador to the Holy See, Maritain continued to question the ultimate meaning of artistic expression and its relationship with transcendence, strongly promoting reconciliation between modernity and tradition. The exhibition highlights how the philosopher encouraged many artists to explore new paths, always placing the 'sacred vocation' of art at the centre.

Maritain's thinking on these issues was pioneering: he invited artists to feel themselves an active part in the construction of a universal language, capable of giving expression to the anxieties and hopes of contemporary man, especially in the dramatic context of the post-war period. With his reflections collected in works such as 'Art and Scholasticism' and 'The Responsibility of the Artist', Maritain left an indelible mark on vast areas of European culture.

Paul VI and his indissoluble bond with sacred art

*During his pontificate (1963-1978), Paul VI* was one of the most attentive and passionate promoters of contemporary sacred art. Convinced of the need to "resume the dialogue between the Church and art" (as he stated in his famous speech to artists in 1964), he encouraged collaboration with contemporary artists, considering beauty a privileged means of proclaiming the Gospel. The exhibition highlights his commitment to the creation and preservation of artistic heritage and his intellectual friendship with Maritain.

Paul VI considered art not only a liturgical ornament, but an authentic act of spiritual communication. This vision guided the renewal of Vatican museography and promoted numerous initiatives, including the foundation of the Vatican Museums' Collection of Modern Religious Art. The years of his collaboration with Maritain were decisive in reshaping the perception of sacred art in contemporary society, a theme highlighted by the current exhibition.

The exhibition itinerary: works, dialogues and renewal

The Maritain Vatican Museums exhibition has been designed to accompany visitors through five thematic sections, each dedicated to one of the central aspects of the relationship between sacred art, France and Italy. Thanks to the refined curation, visitors have the opportunity to understand how the dialogue between artists, philosophers and ecclesiastical authorities generated a period of extraordinary stylistic and theological renewal.

On display are unpublished documents, letters and original photographs that attest to the personal and intellectual relationships between Maritain, Paul VI, artists and leading figures of the cultural scene of the time. In addition, there are some of the most significant paintings, including masterpieces by Rouault and Cocteau, which embody the tension between tradition and avant-garde that characterised sacred art in the second half of the 20th century.

The leading artists: Rouault, Cocteau and a new sacred vision

Georges Rouault and Jean Cocteau are two of the artists whose presence illuminates the exhibition. While Rouault is known for his intense painting, marked by a painful spiritual quest, Cocteau moves between poetry, theatre, cinema and the visual arts, managing to interpret the sacred with a new and surprising sensitivity. Both, in dialogue with Maritain, contributed to overcoming the divisions between secular and religious art, proposing a personal and authentic interpretation of transcendence.

Rouault's works, with their dense colours and almost sculptural forms, convey a sense of dramatic humanity but also of hope, while Cocteau's works fascinate with their visionary lightness and their ability to evoke the mystery of faith in a modern key. The exhibition also includes pieces by other important figures from the Franco-Italian scene, emphasising the harmony of a unique period in French-Italian sacred art.

Micol Forti's role in curating the exhibition

Curator Micol Forti has distinguished herself for her ability to highlight both the artistic heritage and the human and spiritual aspects of the protagonists. Already head of the Modern and Contemporary Art Collection of the Vatican Museums, Micol Forti has set up the exhibition as a space for encounter rather than celebration, choosing to focus on biographical paths and processes of intergenerational dialogue.

Her approach has made it possible to combine scientific rigour with emotional involvement, offering visitors the opportunity to reflect on the relevance of the issues that emerged between 1945 and 1973 and their resonance in the contemporary context. The choice of works and archival materials demonstrates a deep understanding of the dynamics between personalities and historical context, an attention that also emerges in the catalogues and educational materials prepared for the public.

The exhibition in the Vatican Museums: organisational details and impact on the public

Located in the rooms of the Vatican Museums reserved for major temporary exhibitions, the exhibition is arranged in an orderly and elegant setting, which also makes it accessible to a non-specialist audience. Safety, accessibility and multimedia tools are fundamental elements, designed to make the visit engaging for adults, young people and students alike.

The exhibition, which runs until 20 September, offers ample opportunity for access, allowing schools to organise educational visits. Thanks to multilingual audio guides, explanatory panels and educational workshops, the exhibition is set to be one of the main cultural exhibitions in Rome in 2025. Side events, such as round tables, conferences and workshops, further enhance the dialogue between the humanities, religious studies and the arts.

The historical context: sacred art in France and Italy after 1945

The period between 1945 and 1973 represented a real watershed in the history ofsacred art in France and Italy. The years immediately following the Second World War were marked by profound political, social and ecclesiastical transformations. The need to reinterpret the heritage of faith through new artistic languages and the search for art capable of speaking to contemporary man characterised the work of numerous artists and intellectuals.

The currents of informal art, abstractionism, neorealism and the avant-garde found a fertile ground for comparison and experimentation in the religious environment. The mutual influence between Italy and France, under the guidance of figures such as Maritain, made it possible to create works that were able to translate spirituality into new forms, often in opposition to rhetoric and formalism.

Reflections on the relationship between the Church, beauty and contemporaneity

One of the questions at the heart of the exhibition concerns the function of beauty as an 'expectation' directed at the Church and society. In a fragmented and often disoriented world, sacred art confirms its status as a privileged place in which to question the meaning of humanity, transcendence and hope. The union between Paul VI and sacred art emerges as a paradigm of an ever-open and necessary dialogue, in which beauty is not mere ornamentation but a source of spiritual and cultural regeneration.

The contemporary debate on the identity of sacred art, the role of the Church in promoting culture and the need to find a shared language between believers and non-believers finds a rich and articulate response in this exhibition. Art thus becomes a space for encounter, reconciliation and prophecy.

The current legacy: the exhibition and its value for new generations

Designed as a flagship event among the Vatican 2025 exhibitions, the exhibition on Maritain and Paul VI also offers an ideal workshop for the new generations. The educational activities, multimedia tours and initiatives dedicated to schools are an important resource for those who want to explore topics such as spirituality in art, European cultural history and the role of museums in society.

Encountering works such as those by Rouault and Cocteau offers young people an opportunity to engage with different languages, capable of challenging stereotypes and prejudices about religion and modernity. The Vatican Sacred Art exhibition thus becomes a point of reference for civic education based on openness, tolerance and respect for diversity.

Final summary

The Maritain Vatican Museums exhibition is confirmed as one of the most significant cultural initiatives of the season, capable of relaunching reflection on the relationship between art, faith and society. The curation by Micol Forti, the presence of works by Rouault and Cocteau, the dialogue between France and Italy and the reference to the historical period of 1945-1973 make this exhibition an unmissable opportunity for the Roman and international public. Not only a tribute to Maritain and Paul VI, but also an invitation to rediscover beauty as an expectation and promise that is always alive in the heart of the Church and of our time.