Novel on Fernanda Wittgens, First Woman to Direct Pinacoteca di Brera

A novel titled 'L’allodola' (The Lark), co-authored by art historians Giovanna Ginex and Rosangela Percoco and published by Salani, recounts the life of Fernanda Wittgens (1903–1957), the first woman to direct Milan's Pinacoteca di Brera. Written in the first person, the book traces her challenging journey from a cultured but non-wealthy family, through her early career as a teacher and journalist for L’Ambrosiano, to her mentorship under Ettore Modigliani, Brera's former director who was exiled for being Jewish. Modigliani nicknamed her 'allodola' for her discreet greatness. Wittgens saved Brera's artworks during World War II alongside her cousin-brother, collector Gianni Mattioli, and reopened the Poldi Pezzoli Museum as an act of 'purification of the mourning of the world conflict.' She held clear anti-fascist and libertarian socialist positions, and was perceived as a difficult, Valkyrie-like figure. The novel emphasizes her vision of Brera as a 'living museum' and a place of dialogue, not just an archive, accessible to all. A memorial stone in the Giardino dei Giusti honors her for saving Jewish lives and enduring imprisonment for her choices. The preface is by current Brera director James Bradburne.