The 19th century revealed. Stories of collections and museums in 19th-century Genoa
With Ottocento svelato, Genoa immerses itself in the atmosphere of the 19th century with 5 exhibitions that narrate the story of 19th-century art in Genoa. Over 300 works of art on display until 29 March 2026.
A multi-venue exhibition, five exhibition venues with over 300 works of art to portray 19th-century Genoa, a crossroads of modern artistic, social and urban transformations, including paintings, sculptures, documents, photographs, engravings and archival materials in five locations until 29 March 2026.
Ottocento al tramonto. Plinio Nomellini in Genoa between modernity and symbolism
Palazzo Nicolosio Lomellino, 10 October 2025 – 1 February 2026
An exhibition that recounts the Genoese period of Plinio Nomellini (Livorno 1866 – Florence 1946), Giovanni Fattori’s most promising pupil, destined to play a fundamental role in the birth of Divisionism and Symbolism. Curated by Agnese Marengo and Maurizio Romanengo, a selection of works by Nomellini and his contemporaries, along with period documents.
Sacro e Pop, la Quasi oliva speciosa in campis by Niccolò Barabino, a masterpiece of 19th-century painting
Diocesan Museum of Genoa, 20 November 2025 – 23 February 2026
The exhibition, curated by Lilli Ghio, Paola Martini, Caterina Olcese and Sergio Rebora documents the painting Quasi oliva speciosa in campis which represents the Madonna and Child and was executed for the church of Santa Maria della Cella in Sampierdarena by Nicolò Barabino (1832-1891). It was immediately the subject of extraordinary dissemination throughout Europe. The exhibition includes 24 works among which paintings, engravings and ceramics, with masterpieces such as the altarpiece of Santa Maria della Cella and La Carità (BPER collection).
The Ligurian Academy of Fine Arts in Genoa in the 19th Century: The Protagonists
Ligurian Academy of Fine Arts in Genoa, 11 December 2025 – 29 March 2026
Starting from the collection of portraits and self-portraits of artists preserved in the museum, the exhibition curated by Giulio Sommariva offers an overview of the faces of these protagonists: 50 pictorial portraits and as many photographic ones, marble, bronze and terracotta busts, including absolutely unpublished works such as the portrait of Riccardo Haupt, protagonist of the city’s urban renewal.
Artists, Patrons, and Collectors in 19th-Century Genoa. The Frugone Collections: A 19th-Century Art Collection for Genoa
Frugone Modern Art Gallery (GAM) and Collections Museum, 19 December 2025 – 29 March 2026
The exhibition at the GAM is divided into several sections, with over 100 works, half of which come from the GAM’s storage facilities and have long remained unseen, and half on loan from prestigious institutions. Curated by Leo Lecci and Francesca Serrati.
In Pipein Gamba’s studio: images of late 19th-century Genoa
Palazzo Rosso, 20 December 2025 – 29 March 2026
From the archive of Giuseppe Garuti (aka Pipein Gamba), a young illustrator from Modena, set designer and illustrator active in Genoa, come approximately 600 documents, sketches, posters and original materials, enriched by loans from private collections in Genoa, the Berio Library, the University Library and the Apice Centre in Milan.