“Casanova’s Europe” reveals a refined and visually seductive culture on the cusp of modernity—one characterized by pleasure seeking, movement across boundaries, and self-invention. By using his life as the basis for the exhibition, the MFA invites visitors to consider aspects of power—political, social, economic, sexual—both in Casanova’s time and today.

Three tableaux - Venice, Paris, and London - and a variety of vignettes transport the visitor to the rich interiors of Casanova’s time. They provide the fully fleshed-out setting of the art work on display while underscoring the theatricality of a life lived unconditionally.