Hangzhou – “Le Divisament dou Monde: Italian Drawings on the Far East,” a new exhibition marking the 700th anniversary of Marco Polo’s death, has arrived at the China Academy of Art in Hangzhou. Curated by Angela Tecce, the exhibition is organized by the Garuzzo Foundation with the support of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Italian Embassy in Beijing, the Italian Cultural Institutes in Beijing and Shanghai, in collaboration with the Italy China Council Foundation (ICCF), the Italian Chamber of Commerce in China, and with the contribution of FlyRen Energy Group.

Inaugurated on May 8, the exhibition was conceived to celebrate the journey and cultural legacy of Marco Polo through the immediate, intimate, and universal language of drawing. Featuring a refined selection of works on paper by 44 Italian artists—ranging from established masters to acclaimed emerging talents—Le Divisament dou Monde explores the visual, cultural, and symbolic influence of the Far East on contemporary Italian art.

The drawings pay tribute to the spirit of exploration, observation, and knowledge that defined Marco Polo’s journey. The title of the exhibition is taken from the earliest surviving version of The Travels of Marco Polo, written in Old French (Le Divisament dou Monde, or The Description of the World). Just as Marco Polo sought to recount the wonders he encountered in distant and unfamiliar lands, this exhibition offers a glimpse—through drawing—into the way our imagination has been shaped by Eastern cultures and the longstanding ties that bind us to them.