There is a wonderful city in our country, known worldwide primarily for its medieval splendor, which is still visible today in the characters of the historical urban fabric. But the truth is that this magical capital has also experienced glorious moments throughout the year glorious season of the Renaissance.
Bologna and its Renaissance
The city in question is the beautiful Bologna, where a new opportunity to reappropriate and enhance this artistic heritage of exceptional value through the exhibition at National Picture Gallery of Bologna, by an exceptional guest like Raphael’s Portrait of Pope Julius II from the National Gallery in London. A new season of Renaissance in Bologna presented from October 8th, 2022 to February 5th, 2023.
To celebrate the legendary arrival of this Renaissance masterpiece, created by Raphael circa 1511-1512 in Rome, three of the city’s most important museum institutions – Musei Civici d’Arte Antica | Sector of the Civic Museums of Bologna, genus Bononiae. Museums in the City and SMA – University Museum System | University of Bologna – Promotion of a special joint initiative, coordinated by the Municipality of Bologna, which allows a broader and deeper immersion in the context of the art scene from the Bentivolean period to the coronation of Charles V and the crucial role of Julius II in the city’s life.
Essentially, it is based on building a large allianceintegration of resources and skills between public and private entities to support a single cultural project of great importance to the city.
But then again, the Renaissance in Bologna is one of the most important events in Italian art history. In fact, from the second half of the fifteenth century, the city participated in humanistic innovations in a lively climate of renewal that favors an extraordinary impulse for the transformation of its architectural and infrastructural configuration and for the development of a multifaceted artistic culture of dialogue, as well as with antiquity , with other centers such as Florence, Milan and Rome.
And for an idea of a widespread exhibition, visitors can not only discover the exhibition set up in the Renaissance wing of the Pinacoteca Nazionale in Bologna, but also take a stroll Itinerary in stages through 9 emblematic places in which we can see fundamental works by the most important artists who marked the figurative civilization of Bologna between the 15th and 16th therein 1517), Amico Aspertini (Bologna 1474 or 1475 – therein 1552), alongside the team of the Ferrarese Francesco Del Cossa (Ferrara, 1436 – Bologna, 1478), Ercole de’ Roberti (Ferrara, 1451-1456 – Ferrara, 1496) and Lorenzo Costa (Ferrara, 1460 – Mantua, March 5, 1535).
The places of Bologna that you should definitely visit thanks to this itinerary
The starting point is, of course, the exhibition Julius II and Raphael in the National Picture Gallery of Bologna. Curated by Maria Luisa Pacelli, Daniele Benati and Elena Rossoni, the exhibition traces the development of the Bolognese Renaissance from 1475 to 1530, beginning with the Bentivoglio court painters, documenting the change in the city’s artistic scene since the arrival of Michelangelo and Bramante after Pope Julius II and later the works of Raphael and ends with the masterpieces painted by Parmigianino in Bologna after 1527.
Not to be missed either Municipal Art Collections in the Palazzo d’Accursio on the fascinating Piazza Maggiore. Some of the building’s Renaissance structures, such as the main courtyard, the staircase or the clock tower, are still admired by the public today. The collections include works of great importance such as the Crucifixion with Saints John and Jerome by Francesco Francia or the Virgin Nursing by Amico Aspertini.
Then the Medieval City Museum located in the Ghisilardi Palace, one of the best preserved Renaissance buildings in Bologna. A place that has a unique collection of this kind: the Bentivoglio era is embodied by rare artifacts such as the Stocco, a sword donated by Pope Nicholas V to Ludovico Bentivoglio, or the Targone, a parade shield dedicated to St. George and the Drago represents , or the tomb of Domenico Garganelli, a multi-material work among the masterpieces of Francesco del Cossa.
The itinerary continues with Palazzo Pepoli Vecchio, home to one of the most powerful families of medieval Bologna, which is now a museum telling the history of this city. In the centuries-old digression that unfolds in the rooms of the palazzo, a large room is dedicated to Renaissance Bologna. In this complex phase emerges the Bentivoglio family, whose heyday is portrayed by some of the greatest artists of the time, such as Lorenzo Costa. The Museum of History is an essential step to reconstruct the historical context of the Renaissance epic in the city of Bologna.
The journey continues with the Davia Bargellini Museum housed in the fascinating building of the same name. It preserves the memory of the Bentivoglio’s powerful allied family, particularly Gaspare and Virgilio, who were co-protagonists of the Bolognese epic. Among the numerous Renaissance works not to be missed are: the bust of Virgilio di Onofri, his putative portrait attributed to Aspertini, Raphael-style paintings with San Lorenzo and San Petronio by Innocenzo da Imola, formerly in Santa Maria dei Servi.
Certainly a stop at the should not be missing Church of San Giacomo Maggiore which houses the Bentivoglio family chapel, an authentic masterpiece of the Bolognese Renaissance. This exhibition was decorated by the two main artists active in Bologna at the end of the 15th century: Lorenzo Costa and Francesco Francia, who, together with Amico Aspertini, are also authors of the decoration that began in 1506 for one of the most important painting cycles of the Bolognese Renaissance received up to the Oratory of Santa Cecilia.
From the renaissance of the courts and great artists to the “other renaissance”, that of the first scientists, collectors and nature observers. In the rooms of Palazzo Poggi, Decorated with frescoes from the Mannerist period, the University of Bologna preserves an extremely important treasure: that of Ulisse Aldrovandi (1522-1605), professor and inventor of the modern scientific museum.
The Stone Scream – with these words D’Annunzio defines the sculptural complex of the Lamentation of the Dead Christ by Niccolò dell’Arca, created around 1463. The work is inserted into the Church of Santa Maria della Vita which goes back to the year 1200, the founding year of the company of the same name, which deals with the care of the sick, prisoners and death row inmates. Inside, in the chapel to the right of the main altar, you can admire one of the sculptural masterpieces that, six hundred years later, still arouses emotions and admiration.
Again in Piazza Maggiore, but this time to discover the Basilica of San Petronio, a symbol of Bolognese devotion. During the Renaissance it was the center of important artistic campaigns. In fact, there are numerous testimonies to be discovered, such as the decoration of the side windows, on which Niccolò dell’Arca and Francesco di Simone Ferrucci also worked, or the current design of the facade. The interior houses masterpieces of all the protagonists of the season: from the Costa active in the De ‘Rossi chapel, to Onofri nel Compianto, to the various paintings by Aspertini.
In short, now it is possible to find out Bologna from another interesting and spectacular point of view.