Salò and the MuSa: History and Art of the Battle of Salò

The MuSa – Museum of the City of Salò has recently acquired an important drawing titled “The Battle of Salò”, created by the French artist Hippolyte Lecomte in 1834. This piece, measuring 30×55 cm and depicting the battle that took place on July 31, 1796, was made as a preparatory work for a large canvas intended for the historical gallery at the Palace of Versailles. The artwork provides a fascinating insight into the epilogue of the Magnifica Patria, the federation of municipalities founded in 1426 during the Republic of Venice, and will be open to the public starting in 2027, coinciding with a major exhibition that will also feature other unpublished drawings held at the Louvre. The acquisition of the drawing was made possible thanks to the recommendation of Brescia scholar Bernardo Falconi and the interest of the Fondazione Opera Pia Carità Laicale and Istituto Lodroniano, led by Stefano Zane. The conservation restoration of the work was carried out in Vienna with the support of an English benefactor. Zane emphasized that this acquisition not only enriches the museum’s permanent collection but also serves as a valuable visual testimony related to local history, thereby enhancing MuSa’s role in promoting Gardesana culture. Italian Version