Faustino Joli’s 1848 Works on Display at the Civic Museum of the

"The Fortyeight" by Faustino Joli: exhibition in Bologna

The exhibition "Il Quarantotto di Faustino Joli. Painting the Risorgimento between Bologna and Brescia", curated by Isabella Stancari and Otello Sangiorgi, opens on 10 April 2026 at 17:00 at the Museo civico del Risorgimento in Bologna. The show is on view until 19 July 2026 and highlights both battle scenes and documentary aspects of Joli’s work.

What to see

• Paintings: canvases depicting the Ten Days of Brescia (1849) and other Risorgimento events, notable for their urban settings and attention to detail.
• Military figure studies: 77 small oil-on-cardboard works showing uniforms and units from the First War of Independence, valuable for their documentary precision.
• Loans and comparisons: includes "Le dieci giornate a San Barnaba" on loan from the Museo del Risorgimento Leonessa d'Italia, displayed alongside a 1848 canvas by Gaetano Belvederi.
• Archival material: sketches and notes from a notebook kept at the Biblioteca Queriniana illustrating Joli’s working method.

Practical information

• Venue: Museo civico del Risorgimento, Bologna
• Opening (inauguration): 10 April 2026, 17:00
• Exhibition period: 10 April 2026 – 19 July 2026
• Opening days: Tuesday and Thursday to Sunday
• Admission: €5 full, €3 reduced
• Organised in collaboration with: Fondazione Brescia Musei, the Institute for the History of the Risorgimento – Bologna Committee, and 8cento APS

The display provides both aesthetic appreciation and historical context: the military figurines are especially useful for visitors interested in uniform studies and museum collections. Recommended for those interested in 19th-century painting, historiography and museum exhibits.