ARTFEED — Contemporary Art Intelligence

Brera Celebrates Piranesi's 300th Birthday with Major Exhibition

exhibition · 2026-04-27

Until November 14, 2020, the Biblioteca Braidense in Milan presents 'Piranesi a Milano' to honor the tercentenary of Giovan Battista Piranesi. Curated by Aldo Coletto and Pierluigi Panza, this exhibition showcases 97 pieces, comprising drawings, engravings, and 66 documentary photographs. Although Piranesi never set foot in Milan, the exhibit delves into his ties to the city. Items are sourced from various collections, such as Biblioteca dell'Accademia di Brera and Museo teatrale alla Scala. Notable features include an undiscovered collection from the Teulié Military School Library and sketches that reveal Piranesi's impact on Milanese set designers, alongside Milan's historical appreciation for his engravings, particularly during the Neoclassical era at Brera, aided by Giuseppe Bossi.

Key facts

  • Piranesi was born October 4, 1720 in Venice and died November 9, 1778 in Rome.
  • The exhibition 'Piranesi a Milano' runs until November 14, 2020 at Sala Maria Teresa, Biblioteca Braidense.
  • Curators are Pierluigi Panza and Aldo Coletto.
  • 97 works are displayed, plus 66 photographs and two videos.
  • Materials come from multiple institutions including the Biblioteca dell'Accademia di Brera and Raccolta delle Stampe Achille Bertarelli.
  • A complete unknown collection of Piranesi's works from the Biblioteca della Scuola Militare Teulié is shown for the first time.
  • Two 18th-century costumes from Teatro alla Scala used for Don Giovanni are included.
  • An unpublished drawing attributed to Giorgio Teulié depicts Piranesi.

Entities

Artists

  • Giovan Battista Piranesi
  • Luca Pignatelli
  • Giorgio Teulié
  • Giuseppe Bossi
  • Johann Joachim Winckelmann

Institutions

  • Biblioteca Braidense
  • Accademia di Brera
  • Raccolta delle Stampe Achille Bertarelli
  • Civico Gabinetto dei disegni
  • Archivio di Stato di Milano
  • Museo teatrale alla Scala
  • Teatro alla Scala
  • Rancati
  • Biblioteca della Scuola Militare Teulié
  • Pinacoteca di Brera
  • Artribune

Locations

  • Milan
  • Italy
  • Rome
  • Venice

Sources