Philippe Daverio's Wunderkammer Library Opens in Milan

The Biblioteca di Philippe Daverio, a wunderkammer-like collection amassed by the beloved art communicator who died in 2020, opened to the public in Milan on March 6, 2022. Housed in the refectory of the former monastery of Sant'Agostino Bianco at Piazza Bertarelli 4, the space was restored by Daverio in 2010, who also commissioned the restoration of Donato Montorfano's 1513 fresco of the Crucifixion, a twin to the one facing Leonardo's Last Supper at Santa Maria delle Grazie. The library, established in 2012 as a venue for art and culture, contains a vast eclectic collection ranging from Hayez and Sottsass to Napoleonic trinkets, alongside works by Gianni Berengo Gardin and transformable antique furniture exhibited during Salone del Mobile three years prior. Visits last 40 minutes, require a minimum of 10 participants, and are guided by Daverio's widow, Elena Gregori. Access is via the Vigna di Leonardo portal.