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SERPENTI - 75 years of infinite tales

From 17 February to 16 April 2023

The Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza and Bulgari joined together to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Serpenti collection

Hours

Monday from 12.00 to 16.00. Free access (last entry time at 15.45).
From Tuesday to Sunday from 10.00 to 19.00. Included in the museum ticket (last access at 18.45).

On Saturdays the installation Serpenti by Refik Anadol will remain open until 21:00 (included in the museum ticket. Last access at 20.45). All other sections will be closed.

Serpenti. Bulgari

The snake, a universal symbol of rebirth, transformation and evolution, has been a powerful icon over the centuries, loaded with meaning and aesthetic appeal.

In the 1940s, the enigmatic motif also became a source of inspiration for Bulgari, as brought to life in the Serpenti collection. Celebrating the 75° anniversary of this collection, the brand presents an exhibition at the museum that explores the imprint of the snake emblem in different spheres, from the past to the present day.

Thus, the extensive legacy of the brand, represented in some of the most significant jewels of the Serpenti line, coexists with the immersive installation created by one of the main figures of new media art: the Turkish-American artist and director Refik Anadol, who proposes a contemporary revision of the snake imagery, its shapes and textures.

In addition to the exhibition of the historical jewelry creations and Refik Anadol's digital installation, a selection of paintings from the Thyssen-Bornemisza collection completes the set, building bridges between the history of art and some of the essential elements of Bulgari's heritage, such as the snake or femininity.

By browsing this page you will be able to discover and locate the different contents that integrate the exhibition

Start your visit with A Journey through Art (a selection of works from our collection), continue with the Serpenti exhibition and end with the Bulgari x Refik Anadol digital installation.

A Journey through Art

To start your visit, we propose a tour through sixteen paintings related to the themes and references that define the uniqueness of the brand: femininity, sensuality, luxury or charisma are concepts that you will see clearly represented in a series of paintings that extends from the fifteenth to the twentieth century. In addition, the set of works hides several snakes in its landscapes, scenery or even in the signature of the author. Will you be able to find them? 

All the paintings chosen are marked with a eight-pointed star.

Mosaico obras recorrido Bulgari

Serpenti exhibition

Continue with the exhibition in the Rodin Room (exhibition space on the first floor, next to room 30), which traces a thread between antiquity and the contemporary.

The serpent motif, at once ornament and talisman, has existed in all civilizations and eras, and has inspired some of the most deeply rooted myths and legends in history. Linked to rebirth, wisdom and vitality, the snake is an inexhaustible source of fascination.

Since the late 1940s, Bulgari has captured the expressive power of this evocative symbol, reinterpreting it with supple wristwatches that have become iconic proofs of its exuberant style.

The exhibition in the Rodin Room traces a thread between antiquity and the present.

Bulgari: Serpenti

From the relevance of the serpent and its mythology in cultures now extinct, to its survival in the latest Bulgari designs, you can take a journey through the evolution of the icon and the Serpenti pieces over the decades, understanding its transcendence in the historical pages of the world of entertainment and fashion.

You will be able to go through four main sections:

A universal symbol delves into the roots of the snake as an ancient sign, linked to divinity, the afterlife or medicine (as the poison and the antidote).

The birth of an icon tells us how 75 years ago Bulgari catalyzes the power of a timeless symbol to create an absolutely innovative Serpenti shaped creations.

Serpenti Blue Heaven: inspired by the breathtaking blues of Madrid skies, the Blue Heaven necklace is the latest metamorphosis of the snake proposed by Bulgari.

An infinite metamorphosis: explore the most recent reinventions of the snake emblem, from the latest Serpenti watches to the creations incorporating the circular symbol of the ouroboros.

Bulgari x Refik Anadol

And finally, don't miss the digital installation that turns our garden into a living visual landscape where human ingenuity and the shapes and colours of nature merge together

Instalación Serpenti by Refik Anadol

The collaboration between Bulgari and Refik Anadol explores how the expressive potential of the snake emblem manifests itself in our times.

Starting from a vast collection of images of Serpenti jewelry and applying AI technology, the artist has generated an immersive environment in constant metamorphosis, evoking the perpetual reinvention of the snake as a symbol.

The installation, with previous versions exhibited in Milan and London, draws on an algorithm for the creation of a living visual landscape where human ingenuity merges with the powerful shapes and colors of nature.

Bulgari over time

Explore the footprint of the snake emblem in this image gallery

Serpenti is an icon that marks one of the most important chapters in Bulgari’s history, and in the history of jewelry as well.
Nicola Bulgari