Pinacoteca Giovanni e Marella Agnelli

Profil

In a fascinating space designed by the architect Renzo Piano inside the historic industrial complex of the Lingotto in Turin, the Pinacoteca Giovanni e Marella Agnelli permanently houses 25 masterpieces from Giovanni and Marella Agnelli private collection.

Opened on September 20th, 2002, the gallery marks the final step in the twenty-year-long restructuring process of the whole Lingotto site.

The structure that today hosts the picture gallery of the Giovanni and Marella Agnelli Foundation in the "Scrigno" (literally, jewel box or treasure chest, an extraordinary container that dominates the roof-top test track), is the result of a long historical and architectural process of development that begins at the turn of the twentieth century. After this huge conversion process, the 90 years old building maintains the architectural power and freshness of the car factory designed by Giacomo Mattè Trucco, and wends its way effortlessly to the Lingotto designed by Renzo Piano.

The Pinacoteca displays an extraordinary collection of works of art dating from between the XVIII and the XX century and ranging from the Venice of Canaletto and the Dresden of Bellotto to a group, unique in Italy, of seven masterpieces by Matisse.

Starting with the canvas Halberdier in a Landscape by Giambattista Tiepolo, the collection continues with six splendid views by Giovanni Antonio Canal (Canaletto) - including The Bucentaur at the Wharf on Ascension Day and several views of the Grand Canal in Venice - and two statues of Dancers by Antonio Canova.

The collection then moves on to the great French masters Edouard Manet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir and Henri Matisse, followed by two pictures by Pablo Picasso, works by the Italian Futurists Giacomo Balla and Gino Severini, and concludes with Amedeo Modigliani's celebrated painting Nu couché (Reclining Nude).