The portraits

The portraits that are part of the collections of the Civic Museums are diverse in terms of historical period, context, and subjects. This variety is understandable when considering how the heritage was formed, which was initially known as the Pinacoteca Galletti, later becoming the Pinacoteca Civica. The collection resulted from a combination of spoliation from religious buildings and subsequent private donations.

The first painting encountered when visiting is the portrait of Prince Eugenio of Savoy, which celebrates the family associated with the palace’s name. Another portrait depicts Don Guglielmo della Silva, who lived in the first half of the 17th century.

In the adjacent room, there is a portrait of a woman dressed in sumptuous attire dating from the second half of the 17th century. Also from the same era is the nearby portrait of King Charles XII of Sweden (1682-1718). On the ground floor, worth noting for their original oil on glass technique, are six small works from the late 18th century depicting a series of noblewomen.

Moving to the first floor, there is a portrait of King Charles II of Spain (1660-1700) and a portrait of a lady with a flower garland. In the grand bedroom, two portraits of women in typical Valle Vigezzo attire can be found, both created between the second half of the 18th century and the beginning of the 19th century by two artists from the Borgnis family. On the back wall of this room, there are also two large ovals with portraits of members of the Marchese Pietro Maria Andreoli’s family: a child depicted with a parrot in hand, and a girl holding her little dog in her arms.