The exhibition proposes an intergenerational and intermedial dialogue. Eco's medieval thriller, published in 1980 and transformed into a myth of world literature, finds itself reinterpreted through Manara's eyes—the author of two graphic albums released between 2023 and 2025. The exhibition pathway allows visitors to immerse themselves in a constellation of exceptional documents, beginning with approximately forty original panels by Milo Manara. These visual masterpieces stand alongside precious archival materials granted by the Umberto Eco Foundation, the exhibition's cultural partner, and the screening of Reinhold Jaretzky's documentary produced by ARTE in 2007, bearing the emblematic title Einmal einen Mönch vergiften (I Wanted to Kill a Monk), which unveils the behind-the-scenes stories and irony surrounding the work's genesis.

In Manara's panels, the elegance of his line evokes the beauty of medieval miniatures, yet also captures the disquieting ambiguity of this central location. The library reveals itself in its dual nature—an infinite labyrinth within and a closed space without. We encounter a mutating edifice that nods to Jorge Luis Borges' tales and Piranesi's geometric, vertiginous visions, while maintaining the imposing and austere appearance inspired by Frederick II's Castel del Monte.

Perhaps what emerges most powerfully is how Manara's visual interpretation breathes new life into Eco's architectural metaphor, transforming the written word into a visual labyrinth that mirrors the intellectual complexity of the original narrative.

Foto Michael Baker, Mark Von Holden, Trae Patton, Etienne Laurent,  Al Seib   / The Academy