Casa Testori

Casa Testori overlooks the tracks of the Ferrovie Nord railway in Novate Milanese, next to the family factory. The more than 20 rooms divided on two floors and connected by a central staircase are located between a red-brick vaulted cellar and an impressive attic. The ground floor is used for temporary exhibitions of contemporary art, while the first floor houses a semi-permanent exhibition dedicated to the critic and owner of the house. Two of the rooms on the first floor of the house house house the Giovanni Testori Archive, in which all of Testori's literary production, articles, all of his pictorial works, a nucleus of photographs and audio and video content are collected. The Giovanni Testori Art Library comprises over 15,000 volumes and reflects in its content and order the instructions given by Giovanni Testori (1923-1993), writer and art critic himself. The largest section includes monographs of 20th century artists, with numerous catalogues produced by private galleries and national and international institutions. Alongside the extensive section of magazines, encyclopaedias and art collections, there is also a specific collection of rare volumes dedicated to African and pre-Columbian art. There are volumes with autograph dedications by the author and some rare artist's editions, in some cases unique pieces, completely executed and painted by hand. The Library is open to the public, in particular to students, scholars and researchers, and the volumes are available for consultation on the premises and for loan.