The Pinacoteca di Brera’s collection of works of art includes several of the greatest masterpieces in the history of art any where in the world: TheDead Christ andThree Mourners byAndrea Mantegna, Saint Mark Preaching in a Square in Alexandria inEgypt by GentileBellini and Giovanni Bellini,The Marriage of the Virgon by Raffaello, Pieta’ by Giovanni Bellini, The Virgin withChild, Angels and Saints byPiero della Francesca, Supper at Emmaus by Caravaggio, The Kiss by Franceco Hayez, The Finding of theBody of Saint Mark by Tinto-retto, Human Flood by Pellizza Da Volpedo, Riot in theGallery by Umberto Boccioni, Enfant Gras by Amedeo Modigliani and more.The restoration workshop in the heart of the Pinacotecawas designed by Ettore Sottsass in 2001; it has been completely restored thanks to the support of Bank ofAmerica Merrill Lynch, main sponsor of the Pinacoteca.di Brera that also supported the restoration of Giambattista Tiepolo’s masterpiece:La Madonna del Carmelo fra i Santi. Conservation has become part and parcel of the visitor experience in thePinacoteca. Visitors have a unique opportunity to track the various steps in the restoration of a painting from close up, even viewing the work from different angles (such as the back, which is not normally visible to the public). The works-hop, which also takes an active part in the organisation of exhibitions and events, plays a key role in researching and diagnosing the state of conservation of the Pinacoteca’s paintings.The Pinacoteca’s less we-ll-known collections include a collection of drawings da-ting back to the first half of the 19th century, part of a group of drawings that began as teaching aids when the Accademia di Belle Arti was first established. According to a tradition dating back to the School of theCarracci brothers, drawings form the basis of an artist’straining. For the viewer, drawings provide insights into the creative processes as artists move ever closer to the final product.
