Pinacoteca di Brera

The palazzo that now houses the gallery was built at the end of the 16th and beginning of the 17th century. Initially, it served as a monastery, then as an academy of arts. During Napoleon's times, large halls were liberated in the palace specifically for paintings and other valuable exhibits. That is when the collection began to form. A sculpture of Napoleon was installed in the inner courtyard of the palazzo. The great Italian sculptor Antonio Canova depicted Napoleon in the guise of the god of war Mars, holding a miniature figure of the goddess Nike.

The building of the Brera Palazzo itself, where the gallery is located, is an important architectural monument. It was constructed in the Baroque style.

The pinacoteca was officially opened in 1809. During the First World War, the paintings were moved from Milan to Rome for storage. At that time, the building was not damaged. However, during the Second World War, the palazzo was partially destroyed. The palace was restored by 1950, and then it was opened to the general public.

The entire Brera complex includes not only the gallery but also a library, an observatory, a restoration workshop, and a garden.

The Pinacoteca di Brera occupies 38 rooms. Paintings in the rooms are arranged according to two principles: chronologically; and by affiliation to one of the painting schools (Lombard, Venetian, or Tuscan). The exception to both principles is room X: it contains works by 20th-century masters (for example, paintings by Pablo Picasso, Amedeo Modigliani, Giorgio Morandi, and others).

The main theme of the collection is Christianity, the life of the Madonna and Christ, the Crucifixion, and the deeds of the saints and apostles.

The gallery's main masterpiece is considered to be one of Raphael's most famous paintings, "The Marriage of the Virgin". In addition to Raphael, there are enough world-renowned canvases that one can spend hours in front of, comfortably seated in the soft chairs provided for visitors in every room of the pinacoteca.

The most famous works include: "Supper at Emmaus" by Caravaggio; "Finding of the Body of Saint Mark" by Tintoretto; "The Kiss" by Francesco Hayez; "Dead Christ" by Andrea Mantegna; "Montefeltro Altarpiece" by Piero della Francesca; masterpieces by Giovanni and Gentile Bellini, Titian, Veronese, Michelangelo Buonarroti (the entire room 29 is dedicated to him), Rubens, Rembrandt, Lorenzo Lotto, Francesco Guardi, Canaletto (Giovanni Antonio Canal), Giovanni Battista Tiepolo, Donato Bramante, Carlo Crivelli, El Greco, Goya, Van Dyck, and others.

The gallery holds the largest number of works by Francesco Hayez, an Italian painter of the mid-19th century. He taught painting at the Brera Academy for a long time and was its director. Many Italian celebrities preferred to commission their portraits specifically from Francesco Hayez.

In addition to paintings, the Pinacoteca di Brera also displays sculptures, drawings, and engravings. The museum is also actively involved in research work, organizes temporary exhibitions, and cultural events.