Liberty: Modern Italian Art at Palazzo Martinengo

Liberty: Modern Italian Art at Palazzo Martinengo

Palazzo Martinengo in Brescia presents a comprehensive retrospective dedicated to the Italian Liberty movement, concentrating on the first fifteen years of the 20th century. The exhibition traces how late-19th and early-20th century aesthetic shifts influenced painting, sculpture, graphic design, fashion, photography and applied arts, with echoes even in early cinema.

Highlights

More than one hundred works from private collections and major institutions are on display. Key highlights include:

• Paintings by Vittorio Matteo Corcos, Gaetano Previati, Plinio Nomellini, Ettore Tito, Amedeo Bocchi and Cesare Tallone.
• Sculptures by Leonardo Bistolfi, Edoardo Rubino and Libero Andreotti.
• Posters and graphic art by Dudovich, Metlicovitz, Carpanetto and other emblematic designers of the Liberty season.
• Ceramics and furniture by Galileo Chini and Eugenio Quarti, illustrating the refined applied arts of the period.
• Historic photographs and film excerpts that reconstruct the cultural atmosphere of the era.

The exhibition is arranged by themes across eight sections, rather than by medium, to spotlight recurring motifs of Liberty. A central topic is the female figure, depicted as an allegory of modernity—sensual, mysterious and socially shifting. Notable among the loans is Vittorio Matteo Corcos's Portrait of the Marchesa Edith Oliver Dusmet (1911).

Practical information

• Venue: Palazzo Martinengo, Brescia.
• Dates: exhibition open until 14 June 2026.
• Opening hours: Wednesday, Thursday, Friday 09:00 - 17:00; Saturday, Sunday and public holidays 10:00 - 20:00. Closed Monday and Tuesday. Ticket office closes one hour before the exhibition closing time.
• Special openings: selected holidays with adjusted hours (check the schedule before your visit).
• Tickets: full €15 (audio guide included); reduced €13 (large groups, under 25s, over 70s, students and partner categories); school rate €6; family rate €38 (2 adults + up to 2 children or 1 adult + up to 3 children up to 14 years old).

Curated by a team of art historians and organized by a local cultural association with institutional patronage, the exhibition is a solid introduction to the artistic currents that shaped Italy's move toward modernity. For a better visit experience: prefer weekday mornings and use the audio guide to gain historical context on works and artists.