From February 16 to April 19, 2026, the Hendrik Christian Andersen House Museum, directed by Maria Giuseppina Di Monte and belonging to the Pantheon and Castel Sant'Angelo Institute - National Museums Directorate of the city of Rome, led by Luca Mercuri, hosts the collective exhibition "An International Vision - Artist's Books - Tribute to Hendrik Christian Andersen."

The exhibition, coordinated by Maria Giuseppina Di Monte and curated by John David O'Brien for the American artists and by Stefania Severi for the Italian ones, in collaboration with Veronica Brancati (H. C. Andersen House Museum), fits into a harmonious dialogue with the heritage and themes of the House Museum.

Hendrik Christian Andersen, born in Bergen, Norway in 1872 and died in Rome in 1940, was a sculptor, painter, and urban planner who emigrated with his family to the USA. He is one of the many foreign artists who, in love with Rome, settled there in 1899. Here, he had Villa Hélène (named after his mother) built, which is the current museum headquarters, with his sculpture studio on the ground floor, now an exhibition space for his works. Hendrik dedicated much of his life to the realization of the World Centre of Communication. To promote his project, Hendrik published a valuable volume, rich in maps, drawings, and explanatory texts, titled "Creation of a World Centre of Communication." The utopian project was not realized, although designs, floor plans, and the rich iconographic collection are preserved in the museum's historical archive and partially exhibited in the permanent galleries.

The exhibition stems from the reflection of twenty artists - ten Americans from the Los Angeles area, and ten Italians, mainly active in the Roman area - on the work of the Norwegian sculptor. These reflections have led to the creation of as many artist's books, all different in materials and techniques but all inspired by Hendrik's work, from which they depart to embark on an adventurous journey drawing inspiration from his biography, interests, and creative vision.