iPinacoteca di BreraBrera
100 Years for Brera. Gifts and Acquisitions from the Friends
Centenary of the Amici di Brera: paintings, sculptures, drawings and documents that entered the Pinacoteca through the Association's gifts, many not normally on view.
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Cleopatra has just died, slumped back against a red velvet backrest. Guido Cagnacci painted her around 1660, Alberto Saibene gave her to Brera in 1960, and she is the face of this show for the centenary of the Amici di Brera, the museum's friends' association.
In the Napoleonic Rooms the Friends' century runs in order from 1926: works usually kept out of view, with photographs and documents. It starts with a 1928 gift, Passarotti's gentleman with his dog. Captions on the main route and in Palazzo Citterio mark what the Friends paid for, so you walk past Caravaggio's Supper at Emmaus knowing who bought it in 1939. A century of patronage, and Il Giorno found the presidents' names printed so small on a panel they could barely be read.
There's no separate ticket: it comes with Grande Brera admission, €20 or €4 for ages 18 to 25, Palazzo Citterio included. Booking is required at brerabooking.org. Open Tuesday to Sunday, 8:30 to 19:15, last entry 18:00.
Look for
Cagnacci's Death of Cleopatra
Look for the queen's body sunk against a red velvet backrest, painted in the 1660s to hold you in contemplation of her, and given to Brera in 1960.
Passarotti's gentleman with his dog
Look for this 1570s portrait of a gentleman posing with his dog: given in 1928, it is where the Friends' story in the show begins.
Bossi's portrait of Ignazio Fumagalli
Look for the newest arrival, given by the Friends in 2026: Giuseppe Bossi's portrait of a fellow leading figure of the Brera Academy around 1800.
The Supper at Emmaus, Room XXVIII
Out on the permanent route, look for the caption on Caravaggio's supper scene telling how the Friends bought it in 1939, just before the war.
Good for
- Locals Who've Seen It All
- Nerding Out
Skip if
You only want headline masterpieces: much of this show is documents, photographs and works usually in storage.
Also at Pinacoteca di Brera
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Image credits
8
- 100 Years for Brera. Gifts and Acquisitions from the FriendsCourtesy of Pinacoteca di Brera
- Carlo Maria Mariani. The Eternity of PaintingCourtesy of Palazzo Citterio
- Un Tiziano per MilanoCourtesy of Museo Poldi Pezzoli
- Pinacoteca di BreraKarlmontague / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Palazzo CitterioGiovanni Dall'Orto / Wikimedia Commons
- Museo Poldi PezzoliPaolobon140 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Gallerie d'Italia MilanoJwslubbock / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Museo Teatrale alla ScalaDaniel Case / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0