The Colors of Prosperity:
Fruits of the Old and New World

The exhibition The Colors of Prosperity: Fruits of the Old and New World celebrated the Loggia of Cupid and Psyche, one of the masterpieces of the Italian Renaissance. The Loggia was frescoed under Raphael’s direction, inspired by the tale of Cupid and Psyche from The Golden Ass by Lucius Apuleius (1st century AD), and decorated with naturalistic motifs painted with extraordinary skill by Giovanni da Udine to connect the interior spaces with the surrounding garden. As many as 170 botanical species are depicted in the festoons. Curated by Lincean member Antonio Sgamellotti (Professor Emeritus of Inorganic Chemistry, University of Perugia) and Giulia Caneva (Professor of Environmental and Applied Botany, Roma Tre University), the exhibition presented the results of innovative in situ XRF and IR imaging analyses. An interactive system allows visitors to explore