"Images of Fantasy 2026" Exhibition in Monza: Nature and Visions at the Royal Villa

From February 28 to April 6, 2026 the Belvedere of the Royal Villa of Monza will host the 43rd edition of the International Children's Illustration Exhibition "Images of Fantasy", promoted by Zavřel Foundation and organized by the Monza Urban Library System.

For 29th consecutive year The exhibition arrives in the city, consolidating its position as one of the most anticipated cultural events in the Brianza and national panorama dedicated to children's illustration.

The 2026 edition, entitled “Nature and Visions”, offers a highly impactful exhibition itinerary: 271 illustrations from around the world, divided into five thematic sections, with free admission for the public.

Nature and Visions: the theme of the 43rd edition

The common thread of the exhibition is the Nature, interpreted as a physical, symbolic, and interior space. A theme that engages directly with the setting of the Villa Reale Park, transforming the exhibition experience into an immersive journey through art and landscape.

The main sections are divided into four macro-areas:

Nature and Art

A selection of works in which the illustrators explore their relationship with the natural environment through harmonious and refined compositions.

Nature and Hope

An invitation to rediscover freedom and lightness. Here, nature becomes a promise of the future, made of clear skies, windswept meadows, and often-forgotten everyday moments.

Nature and Childhood

A journey into collective memory: vegetable gardens, gardens, fairy-tale trees, and imaginary landscapes evoke the authentic wonder of childhood. The illustrations, somewhere between sublime and picturesque, pose a universal question: what amazed us so much as children?

Nature and Science

Discovery takes center stage. Illustrations from popular books tell of metamorphoses, distant animals, and colorful plants, inviting us to observe the world with curiosity and openness.

Guest of Honor: Jesús Cisneros

The protagonist of the special section is the Spanish illustrator Jesus Cisneros, with over fifty works including originals, editorial projects and notebooks.

His visual universe intertwines forests, symbolic architecture, and archetypal figures, with a refined style that combines graphite, color, and ink. His images, suspended between reality and imagination, address themes such as transformation, initiatory journey and inner research, inviting a contemplative look at the world.

The Magic Fish by Štěpán Zavřel

The symbolic presence of closes the route Štěpán Zavřel with The Magic Fish, born from the collaboration with Mafra Gagliardi.

The journey of the little golden fish, who leaves his web to explore the world and then returns to give light to children, represents the profound connection between art, nature and childhood, the pillars of the exhibition's identity.

The “Exhibition within the Exhibition”: The Royal Gardens of Monza

The 2026 edition includes a special section "The Royal Gardens of Monza: Historical Images, Voices, and Landscape", curated by the Association of the Documentation Centre of the Royal Residences of Lombardy with the contribution of the BCC Carate and Treviglio Cooperative Credit Bank.

The project is divided into three elements:

• a photographic exhibition dedicated to the disappeared formal garden;

• a free App with 3D reconstructions;

• a narrative podcast about the figure of Ferdinand of Habsburg-Lorraine.

After the festival, the app and podcast will remain available free of charge on digital platforms, extending the experience beyond the park gates.

Accessibility and inclusion: the DescriVedendo project

The 2026 edition renews the commitment to accessibility thanks to the collaboration with the National Association of the Visually Impaired of Milano within the project DescriVeding.

Next to the works there will be QR Codes that will allow access to certified descriptions in audio and accessible PDF format, promoting autonomous and inclusive use.

The exhibition is sponsored by theItalian Library Association.

Events, workshops and guided tours

During the five weeks of opening, Monza will be animated by:

• readings and workshops for children and adults

• meetings with illustrators and authors

• thematic conferences

• library activities

Opening time

• Wednesday, Thursday, Friday: 10:00 – 16:00

• Saturday and Sunday: 10am – 30pm

Guided tours by appointment, led by librarians, Monday to Friday 9:00 am – 13:00 pm | 14:00 pm – 16:30 pm.

Culture and territory: a shared investment

The Mayor of Monza and President of the Parco e Villa Reale Consortium emphasized how this edition represents an invitation to pause before the beauty of everyday life, rediscovering the world through the eyes of children.

Along the same lines was the speech of the president of BCC Carate and Treviglio, who highlighted the value of a project capable of uniting tradition and innovation, strengthening the territory's identity and memory through new technologies.