Anselm Kiefer: Le Alchimiste

The exhibition “Le Alchimiste” presents a new body of work by Anselm Kiefer developed for the Sala delle Cariatidi at Palazzo Reale. Curated by Gabriella Belli and conceived within the cultural programme of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games, the project brings together more than forty large-scale paintings created in response to the history and architecture of the space, marked by the bombing of 1943.

The exhibition centres on the historical and symbolic figure of the alchemist, focusing on women whose contributions to science and knowledge have often been overlooked. Kiefer draws inspiration from Caterina Sforza, who spent part of her life in Milan and authored a manuscript containing hundreds of medicinal and alchemical recipes. Her figure becomes the starting point for a wider constellation of historical references that includes Isabella Cortese, Maria the Jewess, Marie Meudrac, Rebecca Vaughan and Mary Anne Atwood.

Through his characteristic material-based painting, Kiefer revisits these figures and reflects on themes of knowledge, transformation and regeneration. The works form a symbolic constellation in which myth, history and memory intersect, suggesting a reflection on the role of women in the early development of scientific thought.