New York art lovers enjoy paintings while Accademia Carrara is closed

Stars from the collection of Venetian paintings held by the Accademia Carrarra in Bergamo are currently on show in New York.

While the prestigious art gallery in Bergamo’s Città Bassa (lower town) is closed for restoration some of the choicest items from its collection have taken to the road.

From now until September, New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art will be showing ‘Bellini, Titian and Lotto: North Italian paintings from the Accademia Carrara, Bergamo’.

Bellini's Pietà with the Virgin and Saint John

Visitors will be able to see Giovanni Bellini’s Pietà with the Virgin and Saint John, dated between 1455 and 1460, a mournful complement to his later Madonna and Child, which is already in the Met’s collection.

From Titian there is the very early Orpheus and Eurydice, thought to have been painted between 1508 and 1512 and from Lorenzo Lotto there is the charming portrait of Lucina Brembati, who wears a large, jewelled toothpick on a gold chain around her neck.

Among the less familiar sights are three small narrative paintings from a Lotto altarpiece that have not travelled before and works by Giovanni Cariani, Andrea Previtali, Moretto da Brescia and Vincenzo Foppa, artists not so well known outside Italy.

For more information about the exhibition visit www.metmuseum.org.

Visitors to Bergamo can enjoy fine paintings from the Accademia Carrara collection and see inside the 12th century Palazzo della Ragione in the Città Alta (upper town) at the same time.

Titian's Orpheus and Eurydice

The exhibition ‘Vincere il Tempo’ (literally Winning Time) in the Truss Room of the Palazzo follows the collecting history of the Accademia, which was begun by Giacomo Carrara in the middle of the 18th century and has since received donations from many other passionate art collectors.

Along with works by Raphael, Titian and Mantegna, masterpieces by local artists such as Giovan Battista Moroni, Fra’ Galgario and Vincenzo Foppa are on display.

The entrance to the exhibition is up the covered staircase in Piazza Vecchia and along the little bridge that leads to the top floor of the Palazzo.

The ticket price is €5, but there are reductions for groups and families.

The building that usually houses the Accademia Carrara’s distinguished collection in Piazza Giacomo Carrara in the Città Bassa is currently undergoing extensive restoration work. For more information visit www.accademiacarrara.bergamo.it.

 

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Palace Hotel is ideal base for touring by car

If you want to explore the countryside around Bergamo, a car will give you the freedom to follow your own itinerary at your own pace.

Palace Hotel Zingonia

Whether you hire a car or bring your own, an ideal base for seeing the area is the smart, modern Palace Hotel Zingonia, to the south of Bergamo, which has a free underground car park.

The four star hotel is in Corso Europa in the residential area of Zingonia in Verdellino, close to the A4 Milano-Brescia motorway.

It is less than 11 km from the hotel to Bergamo Caravaggio Airport at Orio al Serio and just a short drive into the city.

Recently refurbished, the Palace Hotel Zingonia is furnished in contemporary style and the facilities include a bar, restaurant, meeting room, gym, sauna, Turkish bath and spa.

A buffet breakfast is included in the price of the room and there is free wifi.

For more information and to book, visit
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See magnificent altarpiece by Lorenzo Lotto

Not to be missed in Bergamo’s Città Bassa…

SAN BERNARDINO IN PIGNOLO

Although it is only a small church, San Bernardino in Pignolo is well worth a visit to see the art treasures it contains.

From Piazzetta Santo Spirito turn left into Via Pignolo and walk up the street in the direction of the Città Alta (upper town),  crossing Via Verdi, to the church of San Bernardino, built in the 16th century as a chapel for the use of the nobility and rich merchants who were living in palaces higher up Via Pignolo.

Inside the church there is a vaulted ceiling with frescoes by Talpino and there are works by Gian Paolo Cavagna and Andrea Previtali.

The stunning altarpiece by Lorenzo Lotto portraying the Enthroned Madonna with Child, Angels and Saints was painted in 1521 during the artist's stay in Bergamo.

Opening hours: 08.00 to 11.30 and 16.00 to 18.00; Sundays and holidays 08.00 to 12.00.

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Baroque church contains important works of art

Not to be missed in Bergamo’s Città Bassa…

SANT’ALESSANDRO DELLA CROCE

Sant'Alessandro della Croce

Behind the ornate marble façade of Sant’Alessandro della Croce lies a simple 17th century church housing some magnificent works of art.

The church can be found in Via Pignolo close to the square of Piazzetta del Delfino, where there is a lovely 16th century fountain.

Although the elaborate façade was added as recently as 1930, the interior of the church has original baroque decoration and an 18th century inlaid marble altar by Andrea Fantoni.

It is also worth a look round inside the church to see works by Giovan Battista Moroni, Andrea Previtali, Palma the Younger, Sebastiano Ricci and Leandro Bassano.

In the sacristry you will see an early 16th century painting of Christ carrying the cross by Lorenzo Costa and the painting of the Holy Trinity by Renaissance artist Lorenzo Lotto.

Sant’Alessandro della Croce is open from 7 am to 11.45 and from 3.30 to 7 pm.

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