Pinacoteca Enrico Giannelli: Hidden Gem in Parabita

In Parabita, a small town in Salento, the Pinacoteca Enrico Giannelli houses over fifty artworks in Palazzo Ferrari, a recently restored but mostly closed palazzo. The collection, assembled by painter and scholar Enrico Giannelli (born 1854 in Alezio), includes works by Vincenzo Caprile, Achille D'Orsi, Francesco Mancini, Giuseppe Casciaro, and Vincenzo Gemito. Giannelli studied at the Istituto di Belle Arti di Napoli under Gabriele Smargiassi of the Scuola di Posillipo, later serving as secretary of the Società Promotrice Salvator Rosa until 1910. His seminal text on 19th-century Neapolitan artists remains a key reference. The museum also holds a library with Giannelli's rare books. Critic Lorenzo Madaro notes that the sculpture section, especially Gemito's bronzes, deserves better display, and suggests removing amateur works. The municipality also owns thousands of posters donated by artist Rocco Coronese, which could be exhibited here.