"One thing the artists are trying to stress by drawing on this emblematic ancient work is the continuity of culture," Mr. Barkoczi said.
And Picasso's other numerous paintings and drawings, exuding his genius and superb self-confidence, serve in this exhibition as a perfect balance to the magic and power of the ancient works.
They were like transmissions from the distant past, conveying messages across time, and connecting the contemporary viewer to the art impulse at the core of these ancient works.
The Renaissance in general could be regarded as a neoclassical period, in that ancient works were considered the surest models for modern greatness.
In the past few years there has been a Vesuvius-sized explosion of translations, adaptations and re-imaginings of the ancient works.
It was based in part on classical works he had begun to collect as a young man when he was given rare access to the ancient works cloistered in the Imperial Palace.
As an approach to governance, the principal ideals of civic republicanism can be traced back to the ancient works of Plato, Aristotle, Plutarch, and Cicero, among others; its more modern adherents include Niccolò Machiavelli, Montesquieu, James Harrington, and James Madison.
Insisting that these ancient works were free of foreign influence and that they were therefore representative of the pure Japanese spirit, he helped foster a revival of the early poetic style.
Born in Konya in 1900, Izzet Koyunoglu is an important character, who dedicated himself to collect, protect and hand down the next generations the ancient works.
Islamic State and other radical Islamic groups have said they are destroying the ancient works because they represent idolatry.
