Tintoretto’s Assumption of the Virgin goes on display at Rome Fiumicino Airport

FIUMICINO – Rome Fiumicino Airport has opened an exhibition featuring Tintoretto’s Assumption of the Virgin at Terminal 1 Departures. The exhibition brings a 16th-century Renaissance masterpiece to international travellers. The painting belongs to the collection of the Ministry of the Interior’s Fondo Edifici di Culto (FEC). The inauguration took place in the airport’s ‘Piazza’ area at Leonardo da Vinci Airport. Undersecretary of State at the Ministry of the Interior Wanda Ferro delivered the closing remarks.

The ceremony also welcomed Vincenzo Nunziata, Chairman of Aeroporti di Roma (ADR), and Marco Troncone, its Chief Executive Officer. Other attendees included Vincenzo D’Intino, Fiumicino’s Councillor for Culture, and Fabrizio Magani, Director General for Archaeology, Fine Arts and Landscape at the Ministry of Culture. Furthermore, art historian Claudio Strinati, Father Gianmatteo Caputo, Patriarchal Delegate for Cultural Heritage and Religious Buildings, and Father Alessandro Piazzesi, Rector of the Church of Santa Maria Assunta, attended.

The ceremony also included Rosanna Rabuano, Head of the Department for Civil Liberties and Immigration at the Ministry of the Interior. Alessandro Tortorella, Central Director for Religious Affairs and the Administration of the FEC, also attended.

Wanda Ferro, Undersecretary of State at the Ministry of the Interior, said: “Rome Fiumicino Airport is often the first place visitors pass through upon arriving in Italy, which makes the exhibition of Tintoretto’s Assumption of the Virgin at Rome’s main airport particularly significant. The display of the painting, made possible by the longstanding collaboration between the Fondo Edifici di Culto (FEC) of the Ministry of the Interior and Aeroporti di Roma (ADR), will give thousands of Italian and international travellers the opportunity to admire one of the finest masterpieces of 16th-century Italian art. The initiative, organised in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture, seeks to promote and enhance the extraordinary artistic and cultural heritage of the FEC, which belongs to the entire Italian nation,”

The unveiling also featured a musical performance by the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia. It marked the public opening of the exhibition. The initiative builds on longstanding cooperation between the FEC and Aeroporti di Roma, part of the Mundys Group.

Through this partnership, the organisations aim to promote Italy’s historical and artistic heritage. Moreover, the exhibition gives international travellers access to a Renaissance masterpiece outside the traditional museum circuit. Fiumicino Airport welcomed more than 51 million passengers in 2025.

A Renaissance masterpiece from Venice

Jacopo Robusti, known as Tintoretto, painted the Assumption of the Virgin between 1554 and 1555. Originally, the work stood above the high altar of the Church of the Crociferi in Venice. It later moved to the Church of Santa Maria Assunta, known as ‘I Gesuiti’. The painting represents an important example of Tintoretto’s artistic development. During this period, he experimented with a pictorial style similar to that of Paolo Veronese.

Its defining features include bright colours, a dynamic composition and expressive figures. The Virgin ascends towards heaven, surrounded by angels and cherubs. Meanwhile, the Apostles gather around the empty tomb. Their gestures convey amazement and involvement as they witness the event.

Vincenzo D’Intino, Councillor for Culture of the Municipality of Fiumicino, said: “The exhibition of Tintoretto’s Assumption of the Virgin at Leonardo da Vinci Airport represents an important opportunity to showcase our artistic and cultural heritage and bring art closer to an international audience. Those arriving at Fiumicino are not simply landing at one of the world’s leading airports, but entering an area rich in history, art and culture, home to extraordinary testimonies of our past. Our aim is to promote Fiumicino not only as a gateway to Rome, but also as a cultural destination in its own right, capable of showcasing its unique identity and beauty through art,”

Airport strengthens its cultural programme

For Aeroporti di Roma, the exhibition forms part of a broader strategy. The company aims to combine airport operations with the promotion of Italian art and cultural heritage.

Marco Troncone, Chief Executive Officer of Aeroporti di Roma, said: ‘We want Rome Fiumicino to be a major showcase for Italy on the world stage: a strategic piece of infrastructure capable of combining operational excellence with the promotion of what makes our country unique and recognisable on the international stage: its extraordinary heritage of art, culture and beauty. Hosting a masterpiece by Tintoretto at an airport for the first time, thanks to our collaboration with the Ministry of the Interior and the Fondo Edifici di Culto, is a great honour for us and a real opportunity to introduce millions of travellers to Italy’s great artistic tradition.

We believe that Fiumicino can play an important role in strengthening the country’s standing and appeal, by transforming its international profile into a platform for promoting Italian beauty around the world. For ADR, enriching the travel experience also means taking on this responsibility: making our artistic heritage an integral part of our airport’s identity. This vision is consistent with the Mundys Group’s strategy, which recognises art as playing a central role in creating social value, as a tool for inclusion and a resource to support the therapeutic journeys of vulnerable people, not least through the work of the Unhate Foundation,’

The arrival of Tintoretto’s work marks another stage in the airport’s cultural enhancement strategy. Over the years, art has become an integral part of the Fiumicino passenger experience.

The partnership between ADR and the FEC has already brought several important artworks to the airport. These include Salvator Mundi by Gian Lorenzo Bernini and three 14th-century stained-glass windows attributed to Giotto.

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The FEC operates under the Ministry of the Interior. Its responsibilities include conserving, protecting and promoting religious buildings and assets of historical and cultural importance across Italy.

Meanwhile, Fiumicino has continued expanding its cultural programme through partnerships with leading institutions and foundations. The airport has presented works from different historical periods and artistic styles. Recent contemporary installations include Apparato Circolatorio by Jago, alongside Muro Bianco and Bifrontale by Pietro Consagra.

ADR also plans to continue this approach through future infrastructure development projects. These projects will include new exhibition spaces designed to connect architecture, innovation and culture. Through these spaces, the airport aims to showcase Italian artistic excellence to international audiences as part of the travel experience.

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