GAM Torino unveils 19th-century Italian masterpieces from its vaults

The Galleria d'Arte Moderna (GAM) in Turin has opened 'Ottocento ‒ Collezioni GAM dall’Unità d’Italia all’alba del Novecento', an exhibition drawing from its own collection to showcase 19th-century works. Curated by director Riccardo Passoni and Virginia Bertone, the show features 71 pieces across eight sections, including monographic rooms dedicated to Andrea Gastaldi, Antonio Fontanesi, and Giacomo Grosso. The exhibition occupies the museum's second floor, temporarily closed for renovation, and includes recently restored paintings such as Enrico Gamba's 'Ecco Gerusalemme' and Francesco Gonin's 'La Guida. Studio di castagni dal vero', supported by the Associazione Amici della Fondazione Torino Musei. The show examines the artistic and cultural ferment of post-unification Italy, with Turin serving as capital from 1861 to 1865. It highlights the impact of photography on painting, evident in works like Alberto Maso Gilli's 'Una visita schermita', Giovanni Battista Quadrone's 'L'agguato', and Filippo Carcano's 'Una lezione di ballo'. The exhibition also addresses themes of patriotism, war, and evolving representations of women, from Francesco Mosso's 'La femme de Claude/L’adultera' to maternal images by Medardo Rosso and Evangelina Alciati.