“The 1848 of Faustino Joli”: the Risorgimento exhibition at Bologna

“The 1848 of Faustino Joli”: exhibition in Bologna

Until 19 July 2026, the Museo civico del Risorgimento in Bologna presents "The 1848 of Faustino Joli. Painting the Risorgimento between Bologna and Brescia", curated by Isabella Stancari and Otello Sangiorgi. The exhibition highlights the work of Brescian painter Faustino Joli (1814–1876) and his role as a visual chronicler of Risorgimento events.

The exhibition focuses on two main groups of works:

• The military figure studies: 77 small oil-on-cardboard paintings, arranged in nine framed panels, documenting the uniforms and units (regular troops, volunteers, irregulars) that took part in the First Italian War of Independence (1848–1849).
• Historical paintings: key works such as Le dieci giornate a San Barnaba, loaned from the Museo del Risorgimento Leonessa d'Italia, exhibited in Bologna for the first time, alongside contextual works like Gaetano Belvederi's Expulsion of the Austrians from Porta Galliera.

The dialogue between Joli’s figure studies and original military items held by the museum reveals the painter’s documentary precision: many uniform details depicted in the studies correspond to real objects, allowing attributions such as the recently acquired uniform of the Legione Bolognese.

The exhibition is complemented by preparatory drawings kept in the Biblioteca Queriniana in Brescia and by a concise brochure with texts by the curators. The opening took place on 10 April 2026 and the show is part of the International History Festival programme.

Why visit

• Combines accurate historical documentation with artistic merit — recommended for Risorgimento and military history enthusiasts.
• Rare works and new comparisons between figure studies, paintings and original artifacts.
• Valuable resources for educational programmes and guided tours.

Practical information

Venue: Museo civico del Risorgimento, Civic Museums Sector, Municipality of Bologna.

Exhibition dates: opened on 2026-04-10 and runs until 2026-07-19.

Catalogue: brochure available at the exhibition with contributions by Isabella Stancari and Otello Sangiorgi.

Check the museum's official channels for opening hours, ticketing and guided visit options.