A masterpiece unveiled. That’s what the Quadreria Crivelli in Trezzo sull’Adda is. Right before you stands a collection telling centuries of Milanese history. The Crivelli family a powerful Milanese noble family amassed this collection over generations. They even produced Pope Urban III in the twelfth century. Their influence extended throughout Lombardy’s political and social life.
The Quadreria Crivelli resides within the restored rooms of the Villa Comunale. This building also houses the Alessandro Manzoni Library. The collection’s most precious piece is a Madonna and Child. Painted on wood panel this fifteenth-century work shows the influence of Leonardo da Vinci’s style. It’s attributed to Bernardino de’ Conti a painter of the Leonardesque school.
Neoclassical art forms another highlight. Giuseppe Bossi’s massive canvas Edipus Rex meeting his daughters dominates the library’s main hall. Agostino Comerio’s two paintings Magdalen and Andromeda are displayed in the villa’s entrance hall. A plaster cast of Bertel Thorvaldsen’s Schiller statue adds to the collection. Even original Crivelli family furniture is beautifully restored and on display.
The collection includes paintings prints furnishings and other objects. Years of painstaking restoration work have returned these items to their former glory. They are safely displayed in the villa’s three restored rooms. Architect Elena Brambilla oversaw the restoration and redesign of these spaces. This impressive display represents the remaining legacy of a centuries-long collecting tradition.
Marchese Vitaliano Crivelli a significant figure in the Risorgimento acquired the villa in Trezzo. The municipality only took ownership in 1966. Vitaliano a patriot and patron of the arts blended classical and Risorgimento tastes in his collecting. He maintained close relationships with artists and leading figures of his time. His collection reflects this unique taste and perspective. The Quadreria Crivelli truly brings the past alive. It gives you a glimpse into the life of a prominent Milanese family and the art they loved. Enjoy your exploration of this remarkable place.