Estense gallery
Modena
BRIEF DESCRIPTION
The Estense Gallery is part of the historic Palazzo dei Musei. The gallery houses a prestigious art collection, bringing together treasures accumulated over the centuries by the Este dynasty, known for its eclectic patronage. The most important section of the collection is the Quadreria, which possesses paintings from the 14th to the 18th century. Among its masterpieces are the Pietà by Cima da Conegliano, the Portrait of Francesco I d'Este by Diego Velázquez, and the marble Bust of Francesco I d'Este by Gian Lorenzo Bernini—works that also testify to the diversity of the collection. In addition to paintings, the gallery displays a rich variety of sculptures, antiquities, and art objects, including drawings, majolica, ivories, and musical instruments.
THIS PLACE IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE
The gallery offers an extraordinary opportunity to immerse oneself in the artistic tastes and patronage of a court that had a significant impact on the European cultural scene. The importance of the Estense Gallery is further highlighted by significant historical events. During the Napoleonic period, the emperor seized many works of art from the gallery; first as a pledge for the Armistice of Cherasco, and later through a full-scale spoliation, confiscating numerous works of art and craftsmanship, as well as archival documents and books. Although some of these pieces were returned, the episode confirms to the collection's notoriety and already recognized value at the time of the event.