Under Napoleon the academy gained many important works of art that left a mark on the world’s painting history. The lack of space for public display was resolved by splitting Brera’s Holy Mary Church in two floors, so the upper floor housed the art collections, while the ground floor was allocated to the Academy.
In 1805 the first annual exhibition took place, giving birth to one of the most important contemporary art events in Italy during the 19th century.
At that time, architects used to study in Brera, as the Faculty of Architecture was dislocated to Politecnico University only in 1923, thanks to the so-called Gentiloni’s education reform. The Art Gallery experienced a deep crisis after the sudden fall of the Napoleonic regime, when it was almost closed to the public and lost many of its paintings. Things changed under Vittorio Emanuele II, when, at the end of the 19th century, the Art Gallery started to host many exhibitions again.
In the beginning of ‘900, an exceptional group of teachers such as Carrà, Funi and Manzù, brought a significant renewal to the art teaching; in the Forties, among its students, Brera listed Dario Fo, the future film director Damiano Damiani and the future prior of Barbiana Lorenzo Milani, while all of the district was open to the studies of significant artists such as Treccani, Cassinari and De Grada.
The Art Gallery is located on the first floor and has access from a wide staircase. The three absolute masterpieces that can be admired there are: the Dead Christ by Mantegna (1431–1506), outstanding and innovative Pietà dating back to the end of the 15th century, the Montefeltro Altarpiece by Piero della Francesca (1412–1492) and Raphael’s Marriage of the Virgin (1483–1520).
The works displayed range from the Italian Schools of '300 and' 400 (Bramante, Signorelli), to the extraordinary Venetian and Lombard production of '400 and' 500 (Jacopo Gentile and Giovanni Bellini, Jacopo Bassano, Lotto, Veronese, Tintoretto for the Venetian School and Bergognone and Luini among the Lombard artists), to Correggio (School of Emilia Romagna). The 17th century includes pantings by Carracci, Procaccini, Cerano and The supper at Emmaus by Caravaggio (1571-1610). To complete our list, Tiepolo and Canaletto for the 18th century, The kiss by Hayez and a few works by Fattori and Lega, representing the Macchiaioli movement of the 19th century. Finally, the Jesi Collection offers the richest and most heterogeneous series of masterpieces of the 20th century.
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