Situated in a scenic location on Lovere’s lakefront, the Tadini Academy of Fine Arts is one of the most significant cultural centers of 19th-century Lombardy. Founded at the behest of Cremasque Count Luigi Tadini (1745-1829), the complex includes a prestigious art gallery, a music school and a drawing school that are still active, which together constitute a rare example of an integrated artistic foundation that has survived to the present day.
Origins and cultural project
The palace was built between 1821 and 1824, designed by architect Sebastiano Salimbeni, with the aim of housing the count’s art collections and offering the community a place of education and beauty. As early as 1828, the Galleria dell’Accademia, the second nineteenth-century museum in Lombardy after Brera, was inaugurated. The structure elegantly overlooks Lake Iseo, becoming an iconic element of the Loverese landscape, easily recognizable even from the opposite shore of Sebino.
A connection with Canova: the Tadini Stele
The symbolic element and emotional heart of the complex is Antonio Canova’s Stele Tadini, sculpted between 1819 and 1821 in memory of Faustino Tadini, son of the count, who died prematurely. The work, located in a neoclassical chapel in the center of the garden, is one of the artist’s last creations and testifies to the personal and intellectual relationship that bound him to the Tadini family.
Architecture and decorations
The building still retains its original neoclassical appearance, with a gable facade, rusticated porticoes on the ground floor, and large symmetrical windows. The interiors, decorated by stage designer Luigi Dell’Era in 1826 with the technique of tempera on paper glued to canvas, reflect the neoclassical and theatrical spirit of the time. Particularly striking is the Cabinet of Antiquities, decorated in Pompeian style.
The main floor houses the main collections, organized in a path that runs through:
-The Weapons Gallery
-The Cabinet of Antiquities with archaeological finds collected in Naples.
-A valuable collection of Oriental and Western porcelain.
-The Historical Library with more than 4,600 volumes
-The Concert Hall, home to an active music season since 1927
Masterpieces and painting collection
The Gallery preserves works by artists such as Jacopo Bellini, Paris Bordon, Francesco Hayez (including an intense Ecce Homo), Carlo Francesco Nuvolone, Palma il Giovane, Giacomo Ceruti known as il Pitocchetto, Lorenzo Veneziano, and many others. Also of note is the section devoted to works and engravings by Canova, including the sketch of Religion for the monument to Clement XIII.
Museum of Nineteenth-Century and Contemporary Art
On the second floor is the Museum of the Nineteenth Century, with relics of the Risorgimento and portraits related to the history of Lovere, as well as private donations such as that of Giovanni Battista Zitti. One section is devoted to modern and contemporary art, with works from after World War II.
A living monument, between art and landscape
Today the Tadini Academy is much more than a museum: it is a living place of culture, education and memory, combining art, music, landscape and history in a harmonious and accessible experience. The imposing facade on the lake, the collections, the Canova chapel, and its cultural programming continue to make this place an identity symbol for Lovere and an attractive hub for scholars and art enthusiasts from all over Europe.
Information:
Open: From May to September, from Tuesday to Saturday 3.00 p.m. to 7.00 p.m., Sundays and holidays 10.00 a.m. to 12.00 noon; 3.00 p.m. to 7.00 p.m.
April and October: Saturdays 3 p.m. – 7 p.m., Sundays and public holidays 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.; 3 p.m. – 7 p.m.
Visiting conditions: admission fee
For information and updates, please consult the website