Castello di Masnago

The first floor of the 15th-century wing of the Masnago Castle welcomes a new exhibition: a selection of 60 masterpieces, paintings and sculptures, representing the identity of Varese's civic collections between the 19th and 20th centuries.

The link between the Civic Museums and the territory is deep: it lies not only in the testimony of local artists, but above all in the generosity of great patrons. It was in fact the legacy of Amelia Bolchini De Grandi in 1965 to form the founding nucleus of the modern museum, enriched over the years by prestigious donations, such as the Valaperta painting (gift of Riccardo Lampugnani) or the Tamar by Hayez (donated by Sai Vita).

The exhibition investigates the evolution of portraiture and the human figure, with a focus on Villa family portraits and female faces, including the famous Little girl with flowers by Giacomo Balla, a break with the avant-garde. The exhibition concludes with a reflection on work and landscape: from portraits of intellectuals and professionals - signed by authors such as Anselmo Bucci and Enrico Butti - to the dialogue between nature and industry, masterfully interpreted by Giuseppe Pellizza da Volpedo and Domenico De Bernardi.