Born at the beginning of the nineteenth century as a place of collection of the works of the Academy of Fine Arts, the National Pinacoteca of Bologna retains some of the most famous testimonies of the Emilian pictorial art and of those who came into contact between the thirteenth and eighteenth centuries.
Located a short distance from the famous two towers, the Pinacoteca di Bologna was born within what in the seventeenth century was the nostened Jesuit of Sant'Ignazio, a space intended for the welcome of the young aspiring members of the Society of Jesus.
The building, in addition to hosting the Pinacoteca Bologna , is currently also home to the Academy of Fine Arts and the Superintendence for the historical, artistic and ethno -anthropological heritage: a real center of conservation, exhibition and protection of the historical and artistic heritage of the region and beyond.
If you are wondering what to see in Bologna during your visit and love art, we recommend that you include the Bologna National Pinacoteca on your tour.
National Pinacoteca Bologna: the origins
The Pinacoteca di Bologna stands on the rubble of what was previously the Clementina Academy, a dedicated artistic section of the Institute of Sciences, whose first collection of works is to be attributed to Monsignor Giacomo Zambeccari, who proceeded with the purchase of eight tables dating back to the beginning of the sixteenth century and until then preserved in the church of Santa Maria Maddalena.
In the following years, another dozen tables and icons of Byzantine origin was purchased for the specific purpose of enriching the Academy collection.
Pinacoteca of Bologna and Quadreria of the Academy of Fine Arts
The nineteenth century constituted one of the most expanded historical periods of the collection that can now be admired inside the Museum of the Pinacoteca Nazionale di Bologna .
Following the arrival of the Napoleonic troops in the city, the fall of the papal regime entailed the suppression of numerous churches and convents, whose works were, under the ordinance of the Bolognese Senate, collected in a single collection. The paintings accumulated, almost a thousand, were first preserved in the former convent of San Vitale and there remained there until, in 1802, they were transferred to the then newly born quadreria of the Academy of Fine Arts.
Its history between the nineteenth and twentieth centuries
During the first half of the nineteenth century, the Pinacoteca di Bologna underwent an intense expansion work which will lead to the inclusion of the chapel of the convent, in whose vault of the ceiling it is still possible today possible to admire the fresco de la glory of Sant'Ignazio .
However, it was only in 1875 that the works contained in the National Pinacoteca of Bologna were made accessible to the public. Just a few years later, the then picture gallery became an autonomous structure detached from the Academy.
Other different expansion operations of the Pinacoteca Bologna were implemented during the course of the twentieth century: from the creation of a new wing at the beginning of the century, to the design of the Renaissance Motor Show in the late sixties, up to the work of complete renewal in the late nineties, the National Pinacoteca of Bologna currently represents one of the most important Italian art galleries.
The works of the collection of the National Pinacoteca of Bologna
Composed of over thirty rooms, the exhibition itinerary of the Pinacoteca Nazionale Bologna starts from testimonies of the history of the fourteenth century and unfolds up to works of eighteenth -century origin.
Among the most famous names that can be seen the works, we remember in particular those of Giotto, Raffaello, Sparotti and the Carracci brothers, whose artistic spirit is accompanied by numerous other exponents of Italian pictorial art.
That's why those who organize a trip to visit Bologna cannot give up seeing a similar heritage with their own eyes, which makes the Pinacoteca one of the things to see in Bologna.
Book your visit to the National Pinacoteca of Bologna now
Are you organizing a romantic weekend or a trip to Bologna? Let yourself be helped in the organization of a guided tour to discover the wonders of the city and choose all the comfort you deserve by booking a room or residence at the Hotel Maggiore .
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