“Funerary Relief with the Circus Maximus,” beginning of the 2nd century CE; Roman, Imperial period; marble; 22 1/2 x 41 1/4 x 6 1/2 inches; Vatican Museums, Gregoriano Profano, Vatican City 2026.11
ST. LOUIS, Jan. 22, 2026—Bringing unprecedented loans of rare antiquities to the United States for the first time, the Saint Louis Art Museum’s first ticketed exhibition of 2026 chronicles life at the height of the Roman Empire.
“Ancient Splendor: Roman Art in the Time of Trajan” opens March 14 at the Saint Louis Art Museum, featuring around 160 items—most of which have never before left Italy—from the renowned antiquities collections of the Vatican Museums, the Archaeological Park of Ostia Antica, the National Roman Museum and the National Archaeological Museum of Naples. The exhibition opens with a public preview celebration on Friday, March 13, featuring a cash bar in Sculpture Hall and free exhibition tickets. The evening also includes an opening lecture by Hannah Segrave, associate curator of European art to 1800, who oversaw the SLAM presentation of the exhibition.
Curated by Lucrezia Ungaro, archaeological curator of the city of Rome, the exhibition is co-organized by StArt and the Saint Louis Art Museum in partnership with the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. The related presentation in Houston was on view in Fall 2025.
“Statue of Trajan from Minturno,” end of the 1st century-beginning of the 2nd century CE; Roman, Imperial period; marble; 83 7/16 x 43 5/16 x 29 1/2 inches; The National Archaeological Museum of Naples 2026.16
“The art and architecture of ancient Rome continue to inspire awe and ignite curiosity,” said Min Jung Kim, the Barbara B. Taylor Director of the Saint Louis Art Museum. “We are fortunate to present an exhibition that is underpinned by thoughtful scholarship and magnificent loans from many of Italy’s finest public collections.”
“Ancient Splendor” features majestic marble sculptures, vivid frescoes and elegant furnishings, speaking to the enduring power of art as a political and social tool. A soldier and an emperor who ruled Rome from 98 to 117 CE, Trajan was the second of the “Five Good Emperors” of the Nerva-Antonine dynasty. “Ancient Splendor” is the first major exhibition in the United States to showcase how Trajan invested in art and architecture to shape civic life in the ancient Roman world. The objects on view will tell the many stories—cultural, social, political and economic—of life in imperial Rome, immersing visitors in the majesty of Trajan’s world at the turn of the second century CE.
The exhibition opens with an impressive display of marble portraits of the imperial family and the more-than-seven-foot-tall “Statue of Trajan from Minturno.” Subsequent sections delve into the “domus,” or homes, of wealthy Romans; explore the importance of “otium,” the ancient Roman concept of leisure time; discuss the influence of female members of the imperial family; look at the significance of religion and mythology in both Roman homes and temples; and discover what made Rome a stable and thriving metropolitan center.
“Couple in Flight,” 1st century CE; Roman, Imperial period; fresco on plaster; 28 3/4 x 26 3/4 x 2 3/4 inches; The National Archaeological Museum of Naples 2026.30
The exhibition also aims to engage the senses. A soundscape created by musician Chris Cundy brings ancient Roman baths to life through field recordings made at the Roman Baths, part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site in Bath, England. Four scent stations are throughout the galleries, showcasing the smells of ancient Rome. Scents range from rose to garum, a fermented fish sauce, and visitors have the option of smelling them by lifting the lid to the scent boxes.
“Ancient Splendor” is on view through Aug. 16 and will be accompanied by a host of programs. For a full schedule, visit slam.org/trajan.
In St. Louis, the exhibition is sponsored with generous support from the Betsy & Thomas Patterson Foundation. Additional support provided by the Samuel H. Kress Foundation, Dr. Barry and Victoria Singer and donors to the Trajan Society.
CONTACT: Molly Morris, molly.morris@slam.org, 314.655.5250.
