The Trivulzio Collection

At the Castello Sforzesco in Milan

Trivulzio set of knives (12 knives with carving knife) Trivulzio set of knives (12 knives with carving knife) (End of the 15th century(last quarter)) by Anonymous Italian. Lombard workshopSforzesco Castle

The acquisition of the Trivulzio Collection

In 1935, the Municipality of Milan acquired the historic collection amassed by the noble Trivulzio family: an extremely significant collection of paintings, artworks and archaeological pieces, one of the most important in Milan and Lombardy, which was accompanied by the family's prestigious library.

Portrait of Galeazzo Maria Sforza, Zanetto Bugatto (attributed to), Between 1474 and 1476, From the collection of: Sforzesco Castle
Show lessRead more
Portrait of Borso D'Este, Baldassarre d’Este [Vicino da Ferrara] (circle of), Between 1469 and 1471, From the collection of: Sforzesco Castle
Show lessRead more

Saint Theodore by Vincenzo FoppaSforzesco Castle

History of the Trivulzio family

The Trivulzio family is an ancient noble dynasty, the roots of which date back at least as far as the 13th century. Its most well-known figure is Gian Giacomo, known as "il Magno" (the Great). He lived from 1440 to 1518 and was Marshal of France from 1499 until his death, also taking over the Duchy of Milan after the fall of the Sforza family. The Trivulzio family included many key figures who were prominent patrons and collectors.

Saint Augustine, Vincenzo Foppa, From the collection of: Sforzesco Castle
Show lessRead more

The Madonna with Child (1460s-1470s) by Vincenzo Foppa (?)Sforzesco Castle

The astonishing collection that eventually ended up (in part) at the Castello Sforzesco was established from the 18th century onwards by the branch that held the title of Marquess of Sesto Ulteriano (from 1656) and later Prince of Musocco (from 1885). The collection was started by the brothers Alessandro Teodoro (1694-1763) and, above all, Carlo (1715-1789), an accomplished and passionate scholar to whom we owe, among other things, the purchase of the manuscript by Da Vinci now known as the "Codex Trivulzianus".

Madonna with Child (Between 1480 and 1490) by Bartolomeo Cincani, known as MontagnaSforzesco Castle

Features of the Trivulzio Collection

In 1935, Luigi Alberico Trivulzio (1868-1938) sold his collection of masterpieces along with the library, which contained numerous codices and manuscript reproductions of Dante's "Divine Comedy".

Madonna with Child (Between1460 to 1465) by Giovanni BelliniSforzesco Castle

In buying the Trivulzio Collection, Milan's Civic Museum network took a giant leap forward in terms of quality, acquiring several unique masterpieces.

Madonna with Child, saints and angels, known as (Madonna Trivulzio) (Between 1429 to 1432) by Filippo LippiSforzesco Castle

The twelve paintings are undoubtedly a highlight, featuring works by Filippo Lippi, Vincenzo Foppa, Andrea Mantegna, Giovanni Bellini, Titian and Bronzino among others.

Portrait of Lorenzo Lenzi (1527 - 1528 approx.) by Agnolo Allori, known as BronzinoSforzesco Castle

Portrait of the Ambassador Gabriel de Luetz d’Aramont (1541/1542) by Tiziano VecellioSforzesco Castle

Madonna in glory with Saint John the Baptist, Saint Gregory the Great, Saint Benedict and Saint Jerome. (1497) by Andrea MantegnaSforzesco Castle

The Madonna and Child with Saints by Andrea Mantegna, painted for the Church of Santa Maria in Organo in Verona, is probably the gallery's most famous work, in part thanks to its majestic foreshortened perspective.

Portrait of Bartolomeo Colleoni (Between 1566 and 1569) by Giovan Battista MoroniSforzesco Castle

Portrait of Barbara Luigia d’Adda, bride of Antonio Barbiano di Belgiojoso (1747) by Jean Marc NattierSforzesco Castle

March (1504 approx. - 1509) by Vigevano manufacture. Tapestry maker Benedetto da Milano, from cartoons by Bartolomeo Suardi known as Bramantino.Sforzesco Castle

The twelve Tapestries of the Months, possibly commissioned by Gian Giacomo Trivulzio for the wedding of his son Giovanni Niccolò, are a real rarity in the history of tapestry

The series was woven in Vigevano by an Italian tapestry maker based on designs by Bartolomeo Suardi, known as Bramantino, an Italian painter with an abiding interest in perspective.

The Virgin with Child, an angel and another figure (7th-8th century (?)) by Mediterranean workshopSforzesco Castle

The collection of ivories from late antiquity is one of the world's finest.

Panel depicting the Annunciation, Workshop in Alexandria (?), 7th century, From the collection of: Sforzesco Castle
Show lessRead more
Diptych of Console Flavio Pietro Sabbazio Giustiniano Diptych of Console Flavio Pietro Sabbazio Giustiniano, Byzantine workshop, 620s, From the collection of: Sforzesco Castle
Show lessRead more

The Redeemer with the Virgin, Saint Maurice and Otto the emperor (10th century) by Workshop of Ottonian periodSforzesco Castle

It includes a series of late Roman or early Medieval pieces, the highlight of which is the incredibly rare tablet from around 983 depicting Emperor Otto II kneeling before Christ alongside his wife and his young son Otto III.

Diptych with the two Maries at the Holy Sepulchre (End of 4th century, beginning of 5th century) by Workshop in RomeSforzesco Castle

Trivulzio set of knives (12 knives with carving knife) Trivulzio set of knives (12 knives with carving knife) (End of the 15th century(last quarter)) by Anonymous Italian. Lombard workshopSforzesco Castle

The series of knives is very unusual: the items are decorated with figures of young men and women depicted half-length and in profile, alternating with long scrolls featuring mottoes of a loving nature.

Given the subject matter, it is plausible that they were intended as a wedding gift.

Credits: All media
The story featured may in some cases have been created by an independent third party and may not always represent the views of the institutions, listed below, who have supplied the content.
Explore more
Related theme
Milan is for Art Lovers
From masterpieces of medieval architecture to cutting-edge contemporary art
View theme
Google apps