The Italian American Museum will host an itinerant exhibition dedicated to the life of Antonio De Curtis, the Neapolitan comic actor best known by the name of art “Totò” (an accent on the second syllable), from 16 April to 29 August 2026. A protagonist of almost 100 films, Totò was also a prolific theatrical interpreter, singer and poet, dominating the comic genre in Italy from 1922 to 1967.
The exhibition, Totò and his Naples, realized with the generous collaboration of the Italian Institute of Culture and the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, also celebrates the 250th anniversary of the foundation of the city of Naples. A quarter of the four million Italians emigrated to the United States between 1880 and 1920 came from Naples and Campania. Neapolitan culture is celebrated with events throughout the United States, including the most famous is the annual San Gennaro Festival in Little Italy, New York.
The Italian government chose to pay tribute to Totò as a symbol of Neapolitan identity. His legacy embodies an eternal and poetic bond that passes through time and continues to support the life of the city.
“Totò represents a milestone in Italian cultural heritage and, in particular, of the Neapolitan identity”, said Claudio Pagliara, director of the Italian Institute of Culture of New York. “For the vast community of Neapolitan descendants in New York, his legacy remains profoundly significant, offering a strong link between past and present, between Italy and the United States”.
“We are honored to host an exhibition that documents the life of one of the most prolific artists in Italy,” said Dr. Joseph V. Scelsa, founder and president of the Italian American Museum. “This is an important piece of history that all visitors will find educational and engaging”.
Totò and his Naples intends to tell the deep and indissoluble link between De Curtis and his city, a relationship that crosses all his artistic production: in the theatre, through the performances of the Neapolitan Stable Company; in the cinema, with films like Miseria and nobility and L’oro di Napoli; in the poetry, with verses that celebrate the beauty and the sacred soul of the city, including ’A levellla and Napule, tu music.
The exhibition traces the cultural, professional and personal ties of the Master with Naples, bringing to light even less known aspects of his life. Through photographs, film clips, objects, costumes and original documents, it offers visitors an immersive experience in the world of Totò, following the entire arc of its history.
The ticket to Totò and his Naples costs $20 for adults and 15 for seniors and students, and includes access to other museum exhibitions. Schedules are Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 12:00 to 17:00.
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