Il volto e lo spazio. Fra Galgario e Giovan Battista Caniana

Two masters of Baroque Bergamo

The Museum of Sacred Art San Martino, housed in Palazzo Pelliccioli in Alzano Lombardo (province of Bergamo), dedicates an exhibition to the encounter between two central figures of Bergamasque art: Vittore Ghislandi, known as Fra Galgario (1655-1743), one of the greatest portraitists of his time, and Giovan Battista Caniana (1671-1754), an architect and wood-inlayer born in Romano di Lombardia.

The portrait at the center

The focus of the exhibition is the portrait of Giovan Battista Caniana painted by Fra Galgario, a work that testifies to the painter's extraordinary ability to capture the psychological state of his subjects through meticulous attention to the real model. The painting was recently restored by Fabiana Maurizio, with the support of the Fondazione Credito Bergamasco.

Drawings for the Basilica

Alongside the portrait, the exhibition presents reproductions of Caniana's original drawings — housed at the Casa Museo Fantoni in Rovetta — relating to the wooden furnishings and inlays of the famous sacristies of the Basilica of San Martino, created in collaboration with Andrea Fantoni. An opportunity to understand the deep connection between Caniana's work and one of the masterpieces of Lombard Baroque.

Art to discover in Alzano

The exhibition invites visitors to rediscover the artistic heritage of Alzano Lombardo, where the Basilica of San Martino and its museum hold testimonies of the highest caliber. An ideal itinerary for lovers of sacred art, portraiture, and wood carving.