Giovan Battista Moroni Gets Major Retrospective at Gallerie d'Italia in Milan
Gallerie d'Italia in Milan presents the largest-ever exhibition on Giovan Battista Moroni, featuring over 100 works including the iconic 'Sarto'. The show traces Moroni's career from his apprenticeship with Moretto in Brescia to his innovative portraiture, which broke from idealization to capture psychological depth and physical imperfections. Moroni's naturalistic style, influenced by the Council of Trent's demand for verisimilitude, made him a precursor to Caravaggio. The exhibition also contextualizes Moroni within the Lombard Renaissance, showcasing works by Lorenzo Lotto, Moretto, and Savoldo. Curated by Arturo Galansino, the show aims to restore Moroni's reputation in Italy, where he remains less known than abroad. Highlights include portraits of Isotta Brembati and the Cavaliere in Rosa, as well as the 'Sarto', which Longhi claimed enabled Caravaggio's 'Oste'. The exhibition closes Bergamo and Brescia's year as Italian Capital of Culture.
Key facts
- Over 100 works by Giovan Battista Moroni on display at Gallerie d'Italia in Milan
- Exhibition curated by Arturo Galansino
- Moroni was born in Albino around 1520 and died around 1578
- He was an apprentice of Moretto in Brescia
- Moroni's portraits are known for their documentary realism and psychological depth
- The 'Sarto' (Tailor) is one of his most famous works, praised by Roberto Longhi
- Moroni was not mentioned by Giorgio Vasari and only rediscovered in the 19th century
- The exhibition is part of the closing events for Bergamo and Brescia as Italian Capital of Culture 2023
Entities
Artists
- Giovan Battista Moroni
- Lorenzo Lotto
- Moretto
- Savoldo
- Caravaggio
- Giorgio Vasari
- Roberto Longhi
- Mina Gregori
- Arturo Galansino
- George Eliot
- Cardinal Paleotti
Institutions
- Gallerie d'Italia
- Accademia Carrara
- Palazzo Moroni
- Artribune
Locations
- Milan
- Italy
- Bergamo
- Brescia
- Albino
- Trento
- Lombardy