Exhibition of Miniature Portraits at Casa del Podestà di Lonato

There is a special path that visitors can follow in the Casa del Podestà di Lonato, home of the Fondazione Ugo da Como: it is the one that gathers the works of miniature portraitists, alongside the impressive collection of paintings, books, prints, silverware, weapons, coins, medals, and statues of the building.

Ugo da Como purchased the complex in 1906, when the Casa del Podestà was in poor condition, and commissioned architect Antonio Tagliaferri to oversee the restoration works. Later, architect Arnaldo Trebeschi took over the project, also tasked with designing a library that now hosts tens of thousands of volumes.

During his free moments from his numerous political and public commitments—among which he served as Undersecretary of the Treasury and president of the Ateneo di Brescia—Da Como himself supervised the work, providing suggestions and advice to the two architects.

The miniature portraits and the exhibition route

But let’s return to the miniature portraits, mostly concentrated in two rooms along the exhibition route: “Il Salotto della Signora” and “Lo Studio del Senatore.” This particular placement reflects the tradition of displaying miniatures in the most intimate rooms of noble houses, while larger paintings occupied the walls of salons, galleries, and staircases.

This is because, it was the large canvases that celebrated the glory and grandeur of the family, whereas the small ones were more connected to the personal sphere of individual family members.

The dating of the numerous miniatures spans a historical period from the 16th to the 19th century. Among the individual pieces, mention should be made of those painted by Faustino Joli, the pictorial chronicler of the X Giornate di Brescia, and by Andrea Appiani senior and junior, Giambattista Gigola, Giacomo Bonetti, and Luigi Capodaglio.

A significant number of works, however, are by anonymous artists. Included in this category is a beautiful miniature depicting senator Ugo da Como, while others portray Napoleon Bonaparte in officer’s uniform of the Guard, Torquato Tasso, and Count Girolamo Martinengo Cesaresco.