Mutatis mutandis: os dramas da forma. Nos dois mil anos da morte de Ovídio, criador das Metamorfoses

Abstract

Unlike many other works of Greco­‑Roman authors, the poem Metamorphoses of Ovid has always been present in the European literary tradition. Intellectuals and artists of all times, including poets, painters, sculptors, musicians and choreographers, have been inspired, and continue to draw inspiration from the poem by Ovid. In recent years we have witnessed the growth of interest in Ovid, not only as the witty poet of exquisite love who used to be very much in demand in ancient cultural halls, but also as the poet who was able to use his sophisticated knowledge of myth to express the complexity of human nature as subject to pain and death. But inspiration from Ovid’s poem drew many other artists beyond men of letters. Metamorphoses became one the greatest sources of inspiration in Europe’s artistic heritage. No other work has exerted such great influence on European culture, literature and the arts. Given such massive influence of Metamorphoses in Western arts and culture, the Arts Festival has decided to revisit it and offer the occasion for the Exhibition held in Coimbra and described in these pages.