The exhibition, curated by his niece Katriona Munthe and Michele Iodice, traces the biography of the Swedish doctor Axel Munthe, passionate about archeology and nature and closely linked to our region, where he chose his residence in Capri, in Villa San Michele. And it was Katriona, granddaughter and keeper of the memory of one of the most important Swedish personalities of the twentieth century, who wanted to open her family archives by selecting 140 photographs from the early twentieth century, images that bear witness to her grandfather's passion for the classical world: a real existential adventure which, starting from Naples and the heart of the Mediterranean, bears witness to the search for the meaning of Beauty.

The restoration of the images is the work of the Catalan master Jordi Mestre, one of the leading experts in the recovery of archive photography. The display also includes garden plants and two silhouettes of Munthe and Amedeo Maiuri. “Munthe pursued the myth and magic of 'Vis medicatrix naturae', adored animals, and was aware of the extraordinary effect of the spirit of the place and the regenerative energy of the environment. So his choice to create his home on the island of Capri, and the construction of the same house, with the excavations that brought to light the sculptures, marbles, bronzes of the Roman Empire, was a choice that allowed him to embrace the charm and grace of the ancient world through the harmony of beauty”, explain the curators.

The MANN, as its director Paolo Giulierini declares, enthusiastically welcomed the project by Katriona Munthe and Michele Iodice, which is connected with the site of Villa San Michele in Anacapri, rich in ancient remains and important references to the MANN collections , with which an agreement has been active for years for the realization of cultural and promotional activities.