A Great Deal and More
- March 27, 2008
- Rated 5 of 5 by
anne chung from los angeles, California
I was surprised it was opened on Easter Sunday, it's one of those things, being in Europe on a Sunday and everything is closed, being hard pressed to find something to do and to entertain 2 teenagers. It was 4 euros to enter for an adult and free for the 2 teenagers under 18 that were with me. We saw their rennaisance collection, lesser known painters but of very high excellence, another incredible collection of iconic art, beautifully preserved and a very large collection, must be priceless and best of all, Antonio Basilo's collection, a baroque artist, native born and trained, prolific artist. I've never heard of him till that day. I regret not having bought the book on all his work, at 50 euros I thought it was too steep until I came back and priced some old book of his, $276. I took some pictures of his work and will cherish these pictures forever. What an incredible few hours spent at this museum.
Editor Pick
Pinacoteca Nazionale
- February 1, 2005
- Rated 5 of 5 by
jmhp from Bradenton, Florida
Pinacoteca Nazionale in Bologna was one of the few actual museums I visited in the city. I must admit I was somewhat surprised that the National Paintings Gallery’s situated in such a relatively less-known city. However, perhaps it is justified, since the museum has one of Italy’s premiere collections of art dating back to 13th till 18th century.
Situated in the former Jesuit monastery, the museum was founded in 1796 when the city’s authorities assembled all the works of art Bologna possessed in one place in order to prevent their being moved to France. The collection has been further enriched with numerous private donations.
Needless to say, the 29 exhibition rooms of the art gallery offer to the visitors a fine collection of paintings of the local school of painting, with Carracci (three of them – Lodovico, Annibale, and Agostino), Francesco Albani, Guido Reni (‘The Slaughter of the Innocent’, ‘Estasi di Santa Cecilia’), Domenichino, Guercino, Francia, Jacopino di Frnacesco (St. Jacob at the Battle of Clavijo), and Pellegrino Tibaldi among the most prominently features artists. It would be very wrong, however, to say that the gallery is limited to the ‘local’ art, however fine that may be. Among other well-known artists represented there are:
a) Raphael Santi: St. Cecilia
b) Tintoretto
c) Titian
d) Vitale da Bologna: St. George and the Dragon, painted between the year 1335 and the year 1340
Out of all the rooms, rooms 1 to 3 are dedicated to the art of 1300s; rooms 4 and 5, to the art of 1300s and 1400s; rooms from 6 to 8, to the frescoes of the 1300s. The large section from room 9 to room 15 is the Renaissance sector, with room 15 especially dedicated to Raphael Santi. Among other featured rooms there are #23, with painting by Carracci, #24, with works by Guido Reni, and rooms 25 to 28, showcasing the baroque art. There is also a room dedicated to the museum’s director in the 1950s.
The art gallery is situated at Via delle Belle Arti (appropriately named street, I have always thought), 56. If you do not fancy walking, buses number 36 and 37 stop quite nearby. The Pinacoteca does not have very visitor-friendly opening hours, being permanently closed on Mondays and opening only from 9am till 2pm Tuesday through Saturday and shutting its doors one hour earlier on Sundays and public holidays. An admission fee is required, and–-contrary to what happens in many other museums–-you are allowed to take photos.
From journal Museums and Towers