Francesco Londonio's paper nativity scene is back on display at Milan's Diocesan Museum

Until January 29, 2023, the eighteenth-century paper Nativity by Francesco Londonio, one of Milan’s eighteenth-century masterpieces of sacred art, returns to the Carlo Maria Martini Diocesan Museum in Milan. The Gernetto Nativity, named after its place of origin, namely Villa Gernetto at Lesmo in Brianza, formerly in the Patrizi Cavazzi della Somaglia collection, is composed of about sixty characters, painted on shaped paper or cardboard, 35 to 60 centimeters tall, and became part of the Diocesan Museum’s permanent collection in 2018 thanks to a donation from Anna Maria Bagatti Valsecchi.

Author of most of the figures is Francesco Londonio (Milan, 1723 - 1783), one of the most important Lombard artists of the 18th century, who specialized in nativity scenes, country scenes and depictions of animals. The Nativity scene was probably made between the seventh and eighth decade of the eighteenth century at the behest of Count Giacomo Mellerio, a passionate collector and owner of Villa Gernetto, who commissioned it from Londonio.

The layout proposed at the Diocesan Museum in Milan divides the main nucleus certainly referable to Francesco Londonio, from two other groups, one made by Londonio himself at a later stage and one referable to one of his imitators.

The exhibition, curated by Nadia Righi and Alessia Devitini, director and conservator of the museum respectively, is also an opportunity to present some figures recently restored thanks to the support of Intesa Sanpaolo as part of the 19th Restituzioni program. You can contribute to the restoration of the other figures of the nativity scene by joining Intesa SanPaolo’s For Funding project at www.forfunding.intesasanpaolo.com

The initiative is being held in conjunction with the fourteenth edition of Un Capolavoro per Milano (A Masterpiece for Milan), which this year sees the exhibition at the Museo Diocesano of the Predella della Pala Oddi, an early masterpiece by Raphael from the Vatican Museums.

For info: www.chiostrisanteustorgio.it

Hours: Tuesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Closed Mondays.

Francesco Londonio's paper nativity scene is back on display at Milan's Diocesan Museum

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