Watch and Read

A work of art holds stories, symbols and memories that often escape the casual observer’s gaze. It is from this realisation that the exhibition was conceived, with the aim of giving a voice and new visibility to the ten large Baroque canvases which adorn the central nave of the Monza Cathedral.

It originated in the late 17th century as a political and cultural response by the local clergy and the count Giacomo Durini amid tensions surrounding the worship of the Holy Nail, this monumental cycle is much more than a mere decorative feature: it is a manifesto of identity, a collective narrative in which the masters of the Lombard Baroque - by Sebastiano Ricci at Antonio Maria Ruggeri, from Filippo Abbiati at Andrea Porta — they told the story of Theodolinda and the Iron Crown.

Through the previously unpublished photographs by Piero Pozzi, the exhibition sets out to take visitors on a journey of rediscovery: an in-depth exploration that weaves together the art history, the heraldic symbols and the story of its origins. The exhibition thus showcases the recent project by conservative restoration as an exceptional tool for understanding and safeguarding the museum’s collection.

To round off this initiative to promote the area, the programme is further enhanced by two in-depth conferences hosted at the Rose Room: an event dedicated to the debut of Sebastiano Ricci by Rodolfo Maffeis and a session focusing on fashion imagery, led by Alessio F. Palmieri-Marinoni, for a rediscovery of the textile heritage supported by Lombardy Region.