The Art Gallery

The art gallery is dedicated to the paintings of the major representatives of the painting schools of Valle Vigezzo, active from the late 17th century until the early 20th century. It was established in 1877, thanks to the generosity of donors, and was first exhibited to the public in 1879 at Palazzo Mellerio. On display are portraits, landscapes, and painted scenes created by artists such as Giovanni Battista Ciolina, Carlo Fornara, and Lorenzo Peretti, among others. Furthermore, the collection was enriched in 1881 with two large altarpieces originating from the Capuchin church of the Sacro Monte Calvario, crafted by representatives of the major painting schools of Val Vigezzo: Giuseppe Mattia Borgnis from Craveggia and Lorenzo Peretti senior for that of Buttogno. It was these two schools that contributed to the training of a great number of artists, along with the one in Santa Maria Maggiore, whose master was Rossetti Valentini. In addition to the paintings, the museum preserves an extensive collection of drawings, watercolors, engravings, and lithographs, some of which are exhibited in the art gallery.