The Gian Giacomo Poldi Pezzoli's collection
The history and masterpieces of the collections of the Poldi Pezzoli Museum
After an initial passion for contemporary art, Gian Giacomo began focusing on art of the past.
The arms
First, he privileged arms, among which stand out objects of absolute worth, such as the armor by Pompeo della Cesa, perhaps the most important armorer in the world.
After the passion for arms, the nobleman was attracted by decorative arts of the past and by Renaissance paintings.
Tabriz (?) (1542 - 1543) by Ghyas el Din JamiMuseo Poldi Pezzoli
The Hunting Carpet
The important carpets and tapestries he acquired are temporarily displayed on the ground floor beside the great ‘Hunting Carpet’ (on loan from the Italian state since 1923).
On the floor above, three rooms offer a notable group of Lombard Renaissance paintings (Foppa, Bergognone, Luini, Solario).
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The Golden Room
In the Golden Room, there are the glories of the Tuscan and Venetian Renaissance.
On the easel the Portrait of a Woman by Pollaiolo, the icon of the museum, followed on the walls by a painting by Piero della Francesca and two panels by Sandro Botticelli. Two other easels hold works by Giovanni Bellini and Andrea Mantegna.
Not only paintings...
In the display case of 18th century porcelain, triumphs the great Borromeo Tea and Coffee Service.
The Black Room
In the Black Room, one notes the large 17th century cabinet inlaid with semi-precious stones and the 19th century table, in the same technique, a work by the Opificio delle Pietro Dure in Florence.
The Murano Glass Room
The carved pieces of furniture in the bedroom - where, in a competition of technical skill, are mixed cabinets and chairs and the collection of Venetian glass, all from the Renaissance to the 19th century.
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The Jewellery Room
The medieval and Renaissance precious metal pieces, formerly in the Dante Study, today are on show in the new Jewellery Room. Notable are the medieval enamels from Limoges and the collection of rings and pendants.
Among the paintings stand out for their importance the works by the Venetians (Canaletto, Guardi, Tiepolo), of the old masters (Vitale da Bologna, Bernardo Daddi) and by the18th century Lombard artists (Fra Galgario and Ceruti).
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