Alessandria Preziosa: Pope Pius V's Treasure Collection on View
The exhibition 'Alessandria Preziosa' at Palazzo Monferrato, overseen by curator Fulvio Cervini and designer Roberto Livraghi, presents artifacts associated with Pope Pius V (Antonio Ghislieri), who was born in Bosco Marengo in 1504. This event is hosted across various locations, including the Basilica of Santa Croce in Bosco Marengo, Tortona, and Acqui Terme. Notable pieces on display comprise a four-meter gilded wood Eucharistic tabernacle, reliquaries containing fragments of the True Cross, silver bust-reliquaries crafted by Antonio Gentili, an ivory Calvary by Justus Gesker, and a marble likeness of Pius V by Leonardo Sormani. The exhibition also features glyptic art by Miseroni and Saracchi, Milanese armor, and illuminated choir books, illustrating Pius V's cultural approach to reinforcing religious authority through sacred imagery and relics.
Key facts
- Exhibition 'Alessandria Preziosa' runs at Palazzo Monferrato, Alessandria.
- Curated by Fulvio Cervini, designed by Roberto Livraghi.
- Focuses on Pope Pius V (Antonio Ghislieri), born in Bosco Marengo in 1504.
- Includes multiple sites: Bosco Marengo, Tortona, San Sebastiano Curone, Novi Ligure, Voltaggio, Casale Monferrato, Acqui Terme, Serralunga di Crea.
- Basilica of Santa Croce in Bosco Marengo features works by Giorgio Vasari, Moncalvo, Antonio Gentili, Bartholomeus Spranger.
- Highlights include a 4m gilt wood tabernacle, reliquaries, bust-reliquaries by Gentili and Vigne, ivory Calvary by Gesker, marble portrait by Sormani, wax sculpture by Capocaccia.
- Glyptic works by Miseroni and Saracchi workshops, including cameos by Annibale Fontana and Ottavio Miseroni.
- Armor includes corslet of Vincenzo I Gonzaga and Milanese armor; illuminated books by monk Benedetto.
- Pius V commissioned works to assert religious power; envisioned an ideal city with Egnazio Danti's polyhedral sundial.
Entities
Artists
- Fulvio Cervini
- Roberto Livraghi
- Giorgio Vasari
- Moncalvo
- Antonio Gentili
- Bartholomeus Spranger
- Stefano Vil
- Justus Gesker
- Leonardo Sormani
- Giovanni Battista Capocaccia
- Annibale Fontana
- Ottavio Miseroni
- Miseroni
- Saracchi
- Egnazio Danti
- Benedetto
- Daniel d'Hucquieliers
- Domenico Vigne
- Cardinal Michele Bonelli
- Vincenzo I Gonzaga
- Carlo Borromeo
- Cosimo I de' Medici
- Rodolfo II d'Asburgo
- Pope Pius V (Antonio Ghislieri)
Institutions
- Palazzo Monferrato
- Basilica di Santa Croce
- Galleria degli Uffizi
- Chiesa di San Grato di Monteu da Po
- Cattedrale di Tortona
- Museo Diocesano di Tortona
- Chiesa Parrocchiale di San Sebastiano Curone
- Oratorio della Maddalena di Novi Ligure
- Cappelle del Sacro Monte di Serralunga di Crea
- Ducato di Milano
- Repubblica di Genova
- Artribune
Locations
- Alessandria
- Italy
- Palazzo Monferrato, Alessandria
- Bosco Marengo
- Tortona
- San Sebastiano Curone
- Novi Ligure
- Voltaggio
- Casale Monferrato
- Acqui Terme
- Serralunga di Crea
- Pienza
- Tuscany
- Lombardy
- Florence
- Spain
- Asti
- Milan
- Genoa
- Faenza
- Germany