The Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam has secured a major loan of the ancient marble sculpture *Sleeping Hermaphroditus* from the Louvre in Paris. The work will be a centerpiece of the museum's upcoming exhibition "Metamorphoses," which opens on February 6, 2026, and explores themes of transformation drawn from Ovid's epic poem.
The loan is significant due to the sculpture's rarity, complex history, and artistic importance. Created in the 2nd century CE and later augmented with a hyper-realistic mattress by Baroque master Gian Lorenzo Bernini, the piece became highly influential, inspiring copies and works by artists like Velázquez. Its journey to Amsterdam for this thematic exhibition highlights international museum collaboration and offers a fresh context for understanding classical art through the lens of myth and metamorphosis.