Milan’s Pinacoteca di Brera museum, originally envisioned under Napoleon as a “little Louvre,” has finally welcomed a modern art extension, Palazzo Citterio, which opened on Sunday. This addition marks the realization of a plan that has been in the works for over five decades, and it houses one of the world’s most significant collections of 20th-century Italian art.
The project, which had been affected by changing priorities and times of abandonment, became a central focus for Brera director Angelo Crespi after he assumed his position in January. The previous Italian culture minister had set a target opening date for December 7, coinciding with the feast day of Milan’s patron saint, St. Ambrose. This timeline placed Crespi under pressure to address structural challenges and manage the installation of numerous modern artworks that had been donated to the Brera over the years.
In a notable event that took place the day prior to the public unveiling, the current culture minister, Alessandro Giuli, who took over the project in September, officially inaugurated Palazzo Citterio on the designated feast day. Crespi emphasized that the rapid progression to meet this deadline was not merely an attempt to make a statement. He expressed that there was a collective understanding about the necessity of moving forward, stating, “The question was not just economic, but also ethical.” He emphasized that after 52 years, leaving such a magnificent building unused was unacceptable due to mere inertia.
The opening of Palazzo Citterio represents the culmination of a longstanding vision for a “Grande Brera,” which now incorporates the Pinacoteca and the Braidense National Library. This integration enhances Brera’s prominence within the Italian cultural scene. Beginning December 2, the Grande Brera also includes the illustrious “Last Supper” by Leonardo da Vinci, widely recognized as one of Italy’s most famous masterpieces. This delicate mural is situated in a church complex about one kilometer from the Pinacoteca and Palazzo Citterio.
With this merger, a network of state-operated museums in Milan has been established, increasing the significance of Brera and granting Crespi considerable authority over management, including control over 80% of the generated revenue. According to Crespi, the combined attractions of “The Last Supper” and the Pinacoteca di Brera attract around one million visitors annually, generating over 10 million euros (approximately $10.5 million) in revenue. As a united entity, they rank among the top 10 most-visited sites in Italy.
Crespi plans to leverage this enhanced visibility to promote other institutions within the Brera complex, which also includes the Academy of Fine Arts, botanical gardens, and an observatory, while advocating for Milan as not just a hub for fashion and finance but as a significant center for the arts. The Grande Brera boasts vast collections and unique works, including masterpieces by renowned artists such as Michelangelo, Canova, Caravaggio, Raffaello, Bellini, and Piero della Francesca, all of which can be found within walking distance of Milan’s iconic Duomo cathedral.
Crespi noted that many of these remarkable artworks are frequently overlooked by visitors, asserting that “All of the biggest masterpieces and names who made Italian art great over the centuries are concentrated within a few hundred meters.” According to him, Milan’s potential as a city of art can measure up to the likes of Florence, Rome, and Venice. He envisions the Grande Brera as a driving force in promoting Milan as a vibrant art city.
By spring, a new passageway will connect the Pinacoteca di Brera to Palazzo Citterio, traversing the botanical gardens that lie between the two museums. As visitors enter Palazzo Citterio, they encounter the impressive late 19th-century painting “Human Flood” by Giuseppe Pellizza da Volpedo, designed to transition smoothly from the Pinacoteca’s rich collection of Italian Renaissance and Baroque art.
The collections within the new museum include a treasure trove of artworks donated decades ago by collectors Emilio Jesi and Lamberto Vitali, creating what curator Marina Gargiulo describes as a “manual of Italian contemporary art,” with a special emphasis on Giorgio Morandi. Jesi, who resided at the palazzo, focused on contemporaneous Italian artists from the 1930s to the 1960s, with a few notable inclusions such as Picasso, while Vitali’s collection encompassed a wider range of art styles and periods, showcasing works from Morandi to Modigliani alongside archaeological and Byzantine pieces.
Additionally, the museum features a collection of 152 miniature self-portraits commissioned by Italian neorealistic screenwriter Cesare Zavattini. Despite ongoing installations just days before the grand opening, Crespi remained committed to the timeline, rejecting suggestions from his staff to postpone. He affirmed the importance of seizing the moment, stating, “Otherwise, we could have entered in a new loop, with more years of other ideas, other projects. It is the right moment and we need to do it.”
Palazzo Citterio will be open to the public Thursday through Sunday from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m., while the Pinacoteca di Brera operates Tuesday through Sunday from 8:30 a.m. to 7:15 p.m. Reservations are advised for visiting Leonardo’s Last Supper Museum, which welcomes visitors from 8:15 a.m. to 7 p.m., Tuesday to Sunday, allowing a maximum of 40 individuals every 15 minutes.
