2024 - Juni - Mailand - Die Pinacoteca di Brera

I had to smile a little at the double Napoleon in the Pinacoteca di Brera in Milan.

Firstly, it is in bronze and stands in the courtyard to greet you. It is three metres tall plus the base. The face is easily recognizable as that of Napoleon, but the body is a very embellished version of itself. Antonio Canova, the most sought-after sculptor of his time, was commissioned by Napoleon himself and created it as an image of Mars, the peacemaker.

Another version of the work, this time the plaster model, is still on display in the Pinacoteca (Italian: Pinacoteca) on the first floor. But why is Napoleon still so revered here? Firstly, after conquering Lombardy, he had himself crowned King of Italy in Milan and made it the capital. Secondly, he "gave" the city a (small) Italian Louvre: the Pinacoteca di Brera.

The baroque building already existed and had already been equipped with a collection of paintings by the Habsburgs, but Napoleon expanded this with many altarpieces that he obtained through the dissolution of monasteries and churches.

In addition, Napoleon must also be credited with bringing the ideas of the revolution and the Enlightenment to Europe under the French flag. Science, culture and beauty should be accessible to everyone. This is also the case in the Pinacoteca di Brera. Fun fact: The museum was of course inaugurated on Napoleon's birthday, on August 15, 1809.

Now, more than 200 years after it opened, it still offers us visitors a real treat for art. I have to sheepishly admit that I really know nothing about art of this kind, but I still like to let it sink in. The rooms of the Pinacoteca are also pleasantly designed and not overcrowded. Since it wasn't full at all, at least when we visited, we were able to sit down in front of one of the paintings in peace. Very large works in particular invite you to discover all the little details.

If you want, you can even try to draw the pictures yourself; there are various sketching stations in the museum. There is also an audio guide available for an extra 5 euros. I found it even more interesting that two of the paintings have been recreated so that you can touch them.

My conclusion is: A visit to the Pinacoteca di Brera, one of the most important museums in Italy, is always worthwhile. It is a great place to spend a rainy day or to cool off in hot weather. Because everything inside the museum must always be well air-conditioned.

You might even have the opportunity to watch restorers at work. We were there on a Sunday, so we missed it. But we did see the paintings behind glass that people were working on. They were simply too big to transport and are now being restored here with a lot of effort.

Oh, I almost forgot, there is also an old library to admire.

And if you don't want to spend the 15 Euro entrance fee on all of that, just take a look at the beautiful courtyard of the Pinacoteca. There you will find Napoleon and it costs nothing.