Kiefer. The Women Alchemists
Palazzo Reale, Milan - Sala delle Cariatidi 
February, 7th - September, 27th 2026
The exhibition
A monumental tribute to alchemists: the new site-specific work by Anselm Kiefer, one of the most influential contemporary artists internationally, arrives at Palazzo Reale in Milan. This project, specially designed for Sala delle Cariatidi, will invite visitors to interact with works that reflect on history, painting, and female memory.Promoted by the Municipality of Milan-Culture and produced by Palazzo Reale and Marsilio Arte, with the contribution of Gagosian and Galleria Lia Rumma and with the support of Main Sponsors Unipol and Banca Ifis, the project is part of the cultural program of the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games. Curated by art historian Gabriella Belli, it will be set up in Sala delle Cariatidi of Palazzo Reale in Milan from February, 7th to September, 27th, 2026.
A site-specific work for Sala delle Cariatidi
The Women Alchemists presents a cycle of fourty-two large canvases, designed specifically to dialogue with the dramatic beauty of Sala delle Cariatidi: a majestic setting marked by the wounds of the 1943 bombing, still capable today of evoking a past of splendor and ruin. After exceptionally welcoming Picasso Guernica’s masterpiece in 1953, Sala delle Cariatidi has hosted exhibitions and projects by exceptional artists over the years.
Photo by Paolo Pellegrin
© Ela Bialkowska, OKNO Studio
© Ela Bialkowska, OKNO Studio
© Anselm Kiefer. Photo: Nina Slavcheva
© Anselm Kiefer. Photo: Nina Slavcheva
The project’s link with the city of Milan is special, where Caterina Sforza lived during her youth, daughter of Galeazzo Maria Sforza, Duke of Milan, scientist, leader and author of a rare manuscript containing more than 400 recipes for medicines, cosmetics and alchemical formulas. Kiefer voices her and several other female alchemists: if some of these female figures –such as Caterina Sforza, Isabella Cortese, Mary Judea – are known to the general public, other names, such as that of Marie Meudrac, Rebecca Vaughan, Mary Anne Atwood, Anne Marie Ziegler, are rather unknown. Through his material and strongly symbolic painting, the German artist makes visible what has been buried: faces and bodies that emerge from his canvases as apparitions, revealing a world of persecuted, hidden, but fundamental female intelligences for the birth of modern scientific thought. Since the beginning of Anselm Kiefer’s career in the early 1970s, a recurring theme in his work has been the depiction of the creative and redemptive powers of women in history.
Alchemy, art, and women: a new pantheon
The exhibition is not limited to a historical restoration project, but also creates a true female pantheon, where alchemists, thanks to the artist, emerge from the past with features and attributes attributable both to the scant biographical information that has come down to us and to the painter’s visionary intuition. Phantom figures, poised between myth, science, magic, and philosophy: their stories speak of discoveries and experiments, medical remedies, beauty cures. Scientists ante litteram, capable of expertly manipulating stills and ovens to create ingenious distillation processes, healthy recipes for the body and mind. Their stories also speak of exclusion, disguises, condemnations, and abjurations. Women with a formidable intuitive intelligence and rigor, who sought answers in nature, dedicating themselves to concrete, experimental knowledge before modern science. These women devoted themselves more to caring for the body and spirit, than to the abstract search for the “philosopher’s stone”.
A unique artistic and symbolic project
The canvases that make up The Women Alchemists can be considered inseparable and form a unique, profoundly symbolic work. It intertwines central themes in the artist’s work: myth, history, collective memory, identity, destruction and regeneration. Painting becomes an alchemical language, whose processes, such as electrolysis and fire, become narrative tools.
Each picture offers itself as an act of resurrection: a face that emerges, a story, a matter that transfigures itself. Kiefer, interpreting the alchemical motto Obscurum per obscurius, ignotum per ignotius (“the dark through the darkest, the unknown through the even more unknown”), invites the visitor to immerse himself in an emotionally engaging, almost initiatory path.
An exhibition-event for Milan
Conceived for Sala delle Cariatidi — a space already rich in historical significance — The Women Alchemists represents an exhibition event of great importance for Milan and for the international art scene, confirming Palazzo Reale’s desire to dialogue with contemporary art. The project also pays homage to Milan, the city of Leonardo and the scientific and cultural tradition, through the figure of Caterina Sforza, heir and witness of the Sforza era. The inauguration will coincide with the opening of the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games, and the exhibition will continue until September 2026, intertwining with the city’s main events.
The catalogue, published by Marsilio Arte, is edited by Gabriella Belli and contains essays and contributions by Natacha Fabbri, Gabriele Guercio, and Lawrence Principe.
News ed Eventi
Private events
On the occasion of the exhibition, the organizers are pleased to offer companies the opportunity to use the prestigious spaces of Palazzo Reale for convivial gala events, such as dinners or cocktail parties, combined with an exclusive tour of the exhibition. These events can take place on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays starting at 8:00 PM. For information, contact mostre.milano@marsilioarte.it.
A reflection between history, painting and female memory.
The Women Alchemists presents a cycle of fourty-two large canvases, specifically designed to dialogue with the dramatic beauty of Sala delle Cariatidi: a majestic environment marked by the wounds of the bombing of 1943, still capable of evoking a past of splendor and ruin. After exceptionally welcoming Picasso Guernica’s masterpiece in 1953, Sala delle Cariatidi has hosted exhibitions and projects by exceptional artists over the years.
The Exhibition
A monumental tribute to alchemists: the new site-specific work by Anselm Kiefer, one of the most influential contemporary artists internationally, arrives at Palazzo Reale in Milan. This project, specially designed for Sala delle Cariatidi, will invite visitors to interact with works that reflect on history, painting, and female memory.Promoted by the Municipality of Milan-Culture and produced by Palazzo Reale and Marsilio Arte, with the contribution of Gagosian and Galleria Lia Rumma and with the support of Main Sponsors Unipol and Banca Ifis, the project is part of the cultural program of the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games. Curated by art historian Gabriella Belli, it will be set up in Sala delle Cariatidi of Palazzo Reale in Milan from February, 7th to September, 27th, 2026.
A site-specific work for Sala delle Cariatidi
The Women Alchemists presents a cycle of fourty-two large canvases, designed specifically to dialogue with the dramatic beauty of Sala delle Cariatidi: a majestic setting marked by the wounds of the 1943 bombing, still capable today of evoking a past of splendor and ruin. After exceptionally welcoming Picasso Guernica’s masterpiece in 1953, Sala delle Cariatidi has hosted exhibitions and projects by exceptional artists over the years.
Photo by Paolo Pellegrin
© Ela Bialkowska, OKNO Studio
© Ela Bialkowska, OKNO Studio
© Anselm Kiefer. Photo: Nina Slavcheva
© Anselm Kiefer. Photo: Nina Slavcheva
The project’s link with the city of Milan is special, where Caterina Sforza lived during her youth, daughter of Galeazzo Maria Sforza, Duke of Milan, scientist, leader and author of a rare manuscript containing more than 400 recipes for medicines, cosmetics and alchemical formulas. Kiefer voices her and several other female alchemists: if some of these female figures –such as Caterina Sforza, Isabella Cortese, Mary Judea – are known to the general public, other names, such as that of Marie Meudrac, Rebecca Vaughan, Mary Anne Atwood, Anne Marie Ziegler, are rather unknown. Through his material and strongly symbolic painting, the German artist makes visible what has been buried: faces and bodies that emerge from his canvases as apparitions, revealing a world of persecuted, hidden, but fundamental female intelligences for the birth of modern scientific thought. Since the beginning of Anselm Kiefer’s career in the early 1970s, a recurring theme in his work has been the depiction of the creative and redemptive powers of women in history.
Alchemy, art, and women: a new pantheon
The exhibition is not limited to a historical restoration project, but also creates a true female pantheon, where alchemists, thanks to the artist, emerge from the past with features and attributes attributable both to the scant biographical information that has come down to us and to the painter’s visionary intuition. Phantom figures, poised between myth, science, magic, and philosophy: their stories speak of discoveries and experiments, medical remedies, beauty cures. Scientists ante litteram, capable of expertly manipulating stills and ovens to create ingenious distillation processes, healthy recipes for the body and mind. Their stories also speak of exclusion, disguises, condemnations, and abjurations. Women with a formidable intuitive intelligence and rigor, who sought answers in nature, dedicating themselves to concrete, experimental knowledge before modern science. These women devoted themselves more to caring for the body and spirit, than to the abstract search for the “philosopher’s stone”.
A unique artistic and symbolic project
The canvases that make up The Women Alchemists can be considered inseparable and form a unique, profoundly symbolic work. It intertwines central themes in the artist’s work: myth, history, collective memory, identity, destruction and regeneration. Painting becomes an alchemical language, whose processes, such as electrolysis and fire, become narrative tools.
Each picture offers itself as an act of resurrection: a face that emerges, a story, a matter that transfigures itself. Kiefer, interpreting the alchemical motto Obscurum per obscurius, ignotum per ignotius (“the dark through the darkest, the unknown through the even more unknown”), invites the visitor to immerse himself in an emotionally engaging, almost initiatory path.
An exhibition-event for Milan
Conceived for Sala delle Cariatidi — a space already rich in historical significance — The Women Alchemists represents an exhibition event of great importance for Milan and for the international art scene, confirming Palazzo Reale’s desire to dialogue with contemporary art. The project also pays homage to Milan, the city of Leonardo and the scientific and cultural tradition, through the figure of Caterina Sforza, heir and witness of the Sforza era. The inauguration will coincide with the opening of the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games, and the exhibition will continue until September 2026, intertwining with the city’s main events.
The catalogue, published by Marsilio Arte, is edited by Gabriella Belli and contains essays and contributions by Natacha Fabbri, Gabriele Guercio, and Lawrence Principe.
Plan your visit
Access to the Exhibition
Tickets for the exhibition can be purchased exclusively online, both for individual visitors and groups. If, during the day, unsold tickets are still available, it will be possible to purchase them at the physical ticket desk dedicated to the exhibition inside the Museo del Novecento in Milan, until capacity is reached.
Free tickets may be collected directly on site, subject to verification of eligibility.
Opening Hours
Tuesday to Sunday: 10 am – 7:30 pm
Thursday: 10 am – 7:30 pm (last admission one hour before closing)
Monday: closed
Holiday Opening Hours
Sunday 5 April 2026 (Easter): 10 am – 7:30 pm
Monday 6 April 2026 (Easter Monday): 10 am – 7:30 pm
Tuesday 2 June 2026 (Republic Day): 10 am – 7:30 pm
Saturday 15 August 2026 (Ferragosto): 10 am – 7:30 pm
TICKETS
€17.00 — Open Ticket
Includes free audio guide or QR-code; also available at the ticket office
(valid from three hours after purchase/booking).
€15.00 — Full Price Ticket
Includes free audio guide or QR-code.
€13.00 — Reduced Ticket
For groups (15–25 people, with free admission for one guide/escort per group), visitors aged 6–26, visitors over 65, Touring Club members, FAI members, holders of tickets linked to the initiative “Monday at the Museums,” military personnel, off-duty law enforcement, teachers, holders of the Feltrinelli card.
Includes free audio guide or QR-code.
€13.00 — Reduced Ticket Banca IFIS
Banca IFIS employees and customers and associated group.
Includes free audio guide or QR-code.
€12.00 — Milano Museo Card Holders
€10.00 — Special Reduced Ticket
Students up to 25 years old; people with disabilities below 100%; Card Musei Lombardia subscription holders; Orticola members with valid membership card; Orticola ticket holders (reduction applicable from 30 days before to 15 days after the annual Orticola exhibition).
Includes free audio guide or QR-code.
€7.50 × 2 — Special 2×1 Reduced Ticket
For Unipol employees and clients.
€6.00 — Special Reduced Ticket
Civic Service volunteers working for the Muni- cipality of Milan, non-accredited journalists with OdG card. Groups organized directly by Touring Club or FAI. Free admission for 1 escort/guide per group. Mandatory audio guide system included in the price (to which the fixed presale fee does not apply).
Includes free audio guide or QR-code.
Family Ticket
€10 per adult / €6 per child (ages 6–14), free for children under 6 years old
For 1 or 2 adults + children.
Special school admission
€ 6.00
Student groups of all school levels, comprising minimum 15 and maximum 25 people. Free admission for 2 escorts per group.
Mandatory audio guide system included in the price.
Free Admission
People with 100% disability; children under 6 years old; licensed tour guides with identification badge; one escort per group; two escorts per school group; one escort for each person with disabilities requiring assistance; one escort and one guide per Touring Club and FAI group; journalists accredited by the Municipality and exhibition Press Office; employees of the Soprintendenza ai Beni Paesaggistici e Architettonici di Milano; ICOM cardholders.
Includes free audio guide or QR-code.
Disposable Earphones
€2.00 (1 euro per earphone)
Pre-sale Fees
€2.00
€1.00 for school groups
Groups and Reservations
The validity of online tickets, including Open Tickets, begins three hours after purchase/booking.
Open Tickets may also be purchased at the exhibition for €17.00, with no additional fees.
GUIDED TOURS
Curated by Ad Artem
The exhibition Kiefer. The Women Alchemists is accompanied by a comprehensive program of guided tours designed for organized groups.
The thematic guided tour, curated by Ad Artem, the exhibition’s official educational program, is based on dialogue and shared observation of the works, and aims to delve deeper into Anselm Kiefer’s work and the themes of alchemy, memory and transformation.
For more details, see the Educational section.
INFO AND RESERVATIONS
For groups requiring guidance or workshops:
Ad Artem
info@adartem.it
+39 02 6597728
(9 am – 1 pm| 2 pm – 4 pm, Mon–Fri)
www.adartem.it
For self-guided groups:
Vivaticket Call Center
+39 02 91446111
Mon–Fri 9 am – 6 pm
Saturday 9 am – 1 pm
Educational
Curated by Ad ArtemThe exhibition Kiefer. The Women Alchemists is accompanied by a comprehensive program of guided tours for organized groups of adults.
The thematic guided tour, curated by Ad Artem, the exhibition’s official educational program, is based on dialogue and shared observation of the works, and aims to delve deeper into Anselm Kiefer’s work and the themes of alchemy, memory and transformation.
Guided Tour ITA: € 120.00
Guided Visit ENG: € 140.00
Hedaphones: € 2.00
Info and reservations
For groups requiring guidance or workshops:
Ad Artem
info@adartem.it
+39 02 6597728
(9 am – 1 pm | 2 pm – 4 pm, Mon–Fri)
www.adartem.it
For self-guided groups:
Vivaticket Call Center
+39 02 91446111
Mon–Fri 9 am – 6 pm
Saturday 9 am – 1 pm
News and Events
Privat events
On the occasion of the exhibition, the organizers are pleased to offer companies the opportunity to use the prestigious spaces of Palazzo Reale for convivial gala events, such as dinners or cocktail parties, combined with an exclusive tour of the exhibition. These events can take place on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays starting at 8:00 PM. For information, contact mostre.milano@marsilioarte.it.
Press
Press OfficeItalian Press
Marsilio Arte | Giovanna Ambrosano: +39 338 4546387; g.ambrosano@
International Press
Giovanni Maria Sgrignuoli: +39 328 9686390; giovanni@gmspress.com
Comune di Milano – Cultura
Responsabile Comunicazione: Elena Conenna elenamaria.conenna@comune.
Ufficio Stampa: Silvia Egiziano silvia.egiziano@comune.milano.
Press kit >
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