The Galleria Estense is an art gallery in the heart of

Modena Modena (, ; ; ; ; ) is a city and ''comune'' (municipality) on the south side of the Po Valley, in the Province of Modena, in the Emilia-Romagna region of northern Italy. It has 184,739 inhabitants as of 2025. A town, and seat of an archbis ...

, centred around the collection of the d’Este family: rulers of Modena, Reggio and

Ferrara Ferrara (; ; ) is a city and ''comune'' (municipality) in Emilia-Romagna, Northern Italy, capital of the province of Ferrara. it had 132,009 inhabitants. It is situated northeast of Bologna, on the Po di Volano, a branch channel of the main ...

from 1289 to 1796. Located on the top floor of the ''Palazzo dei Musei'', on the St. Augustine square, the museum showcases a vast array of works ranging from fresco and oil painting to marble, polychrome and terracotta sculpture; musical instruments;

numismatics Numismatics is the study or collection of currency, including coins, tokens, paper money, medals, and related objects. Specialists, known as numismatists, are often characterized as students or collectors of coins, but the discipline also inclu ...

; curios and decorative antiques. It was publicly established in 1854 by the last duke, Francis V of Austria-Este, and was relocated in 1894 to its current situation from the Palazzo Ducale. Since 2014, the Gallery has formed a part the Gallerie Estensi, an independent complex of museums merging the Biblioteca Estense, and the Estense Lapidary Museum in Modena, the Palazzo Ducale in

Sassuolo Sassuolo (; ) is an Italian town, ''comune'', and industrial centre of the Province of Modena in Emilia-Romagna. Standing on the right bank of the river Secchia some southwest of Modena, the town is best known for being the centre of the Ita ...

and the Pinacoteca Nazionale in

. Together, they reflect the progressing tastes of an Italian court of nobility.

Description

The Estense Gallery consists of sixteen exhibition rooms with four large salons arranged thematically. The collection houses an eclectic range of oeuvres executed by both notable and local artists. Although for the most part centred around Italian painters, it also includes a modest number of Flemish,

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany, the country of the Germans and German things **Germania (Roman era) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizenship in Germany, see also Ge ...

and French artworks (Workshop of

van Eyck Van Eyck or Van Eijk () is a Dutch language, Dutch toponymic surname. ''Eijck'', ''Eyck'', ''Eyk'' and ''Eijk'' are all archaic spellings of modern Dutch ("oak") and the surname literally translates as "from/of oak". However, in most cases, the fam ...

; Aelbrecht Bouts;

Charles Le Brun Charles Le Brun (; baptised 24 February 1619 – 12 February 1690) was a French Painting, painter, Physiognomy, physiognomist, Aesthetics, art theorist, and a director of several art schools of his time. He served as a court painter to Louis XIV, ...

), as well as non-Western examples from

Sierra Leone Sierra Leone, officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country on the southwest coast of West Africa. It is bordered to the southeast by Liberia and by Guinea to the north. Sierra Leone's land area is . It has a tropical climate and envi ...

and

Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) and also known as Persia, is a country in West Asia. It borders Iraq to the west, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia to the northwest, the Caspian Sea to the north, Turkmenistan to the nort ...

. Among the decorative objects of note, the mannerist "Estense Harp" stands out. A rare musical instrument, the double harp's 148 cm were crafted entirely by hand through a collaboration between five Ferrarese and Flemish artists: Giacometti, Marescotti, Bastarolo, Rosselli and Lamberti. It then comes as no surprise that it featured on Italian 1,000 lire banknotes next to Verdi from 1961 to 1981. The gallery also houses a ''Madonna and Child'' and a ''Telamon'' by the Modenese sculptor Wiligelmo, an 18th century coral nativity scene and a still-life carved in wood celebrating the ascension of

James II of England James II and VII (14 October 1633 – 16 September 1701) was King of England and Monarchy of Ireland, Ireland as James II and King of Scotland as James VII from the death of his elder brother, Charles II of England, Charles II, on 6 February 1 ...

History

Cesare I

In 1598, the Este dukes were forced to yield their seat of Ferrara to

Pope Clement VIII Pope Clement VIII (; ; 24 February 1536 – 3 March 1605), born Ippolito Aldobrandini, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 30 January 1592 to his death in March 1605. Born in Fano, Papal States to a prominen ...

and the capital of the dukedom was relocated to Modena. Duke Cesare tried to bring with him as much of the Este inheritance as possible, including many cases full of rare and precious objects. As for the remaining works in Ferrara, Cesare, who was perhaps not as fond of art patronage as his ancestors, did not hesitate to donate large parts of the collection to seek favour with powerful political figures, notably the Cardinal Borghese and

Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand II (9 July 1578 – 15 February 1637) was Holy Roman Emperor, King of Bohemia, King of Hungary, Hungary, and List of Croatian monarchs, Croatia from 1619 until his death in 1637. He was the son of Archduke Charles II, Archduke of Austr ...

Francesco I

Francesco I, successor of Alfonso III, was a man of great ambition. He was determined to both regain Ferrara and restore the artistic atmosphere characteristic of the Ferrarese court in Modena. For the new capital of the diminished Duchy of Modena and Reggio, he envisioned an imposing ducal residence, entrusting the project to Bartolomeo Avanzini. The Roman architect was advised by

Bernini Gian Lorenzo (or Gianlorenzo) Bernini (, ; ; Italian Giovanni Lorenzo; 7 December 1598 – 28 November 1680) was an Italian sculptor and architect. While a major figure in the world of architecture, he was more prominently the leading sculptor ...

, whose engagement with the Pope prevented him from accepting the task.During a diplomatic trip to

Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...

, Francesco had his portrait painted by

Diego Velázquez Diego Rodríguez de Silva y Velázquez (baptised 6 June 15996 August 1660) was a Spanish painter, the leading artist in the Noble court, court of King Philip IV of Spain, Philip IV of Spain and Portugal, and of the Spanish Golden Age. He i ...

, a work which remains a precious treasure of the Estense collection. An equally revered marble portrait executed by

now welcomes viewers entering the gallery. Not only does it effortlessly capture the duke's likeness and ''bravura'', Bernini also never once laid eyes on his subject in the flesh, using effigies by

Justus Sustermans Justus Sustermans, Joost Sustermans or Suttermans, his given name Italianised to Giusto (28September 159723April 1681), was a Flemish people, Flemish painter and draughtsman who is mainly known for his portraits. He also painted history and ge ...

and Jean Boulanger as prompts instead. To overcome the reluctance of the sculptor, who in a letter to the duke’s brother, Cardinal Rinaldo, judged the task as not only extremely difficult but reckless, an exorbitant sum of 3000 '' scudi'' was offered, the exact amount paid to Bernini by the

Pope Innocent X Pope Innocent X (6 May 1574 – 7 January 1655), born Giovanni Battista Pamphilj (or Pamphili), was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 15 September 1644 to his death, in January 1655. Born in Rome of a family fro ...

for his Four Rivers Fountain in Rome. Other valuable works donated or purchased by the duke joined the collection at this time, such as paintings by

Paolo Veronese Paolo Caliari (152819 April 1588), known as Paolo Veronese ( , ; ), was an Italian Renaissance painter based in Venice, known for extremely large history paintings of religion and mythology, such as ''The Wedding at Cana (Veronese), The Wedding ...

, Salvator Rosa, Hans Holbein and another marble bust by Bernini, this time dedicated to his lover. Ever the art lover, Francesco began appropriating paintings from churches and monasteries within the duchy: a habit to be routinely adopted by his successors in the years to come. The works were replaced by second-rate copies, often veiled from the eyes of the priests who tried to resist. Pieces by

Correggio Antonio Allegri da Correggio (August 1489 – 5 March 1534), usually known as just Correggio (, also , , ), was an Italian Renaissance painter who was the foremost painter of the Parma school of the High Renaissance, who was responsible for som ...

Parmigianino Girolamo Francesco Maria Mazzola (11 January 150324 August 1540), also known as Francesco Mazzola or, more commonly, as Parmigianino (, , ; "the little one from Parma"), was an Italian Mannerist painter and printmaker active in Florence, Rome, ...

and

Cima da Conegliano Giovanni Battista Cima, also called Cima da Conegliano (), was an Italian Renaissance painter, who mostly worked in Venice. He can be considered part of the Venetian school (art), Venetian school, though he was also influenced by Antonello da ...

all entered into the ducal collection in this way.

Francesco I's successors

Francesco's son Alfonso IV was the first to open the gallery to the public. His wife Laura Martinozzi, granddaughter of Cardinal Mazzarino, became regent to the duchy on the death of her husband, given their son, Francesco II, was only two years old. The duchess did not contribute to the gallery purchases, dedicating herself for the most part to charitable works and the construction of churches and convents, with the aim of repairing a state severely affected by the outbreak of plague and the

Thirty Years' War The Thirty Years' War, fought primarily in Central Europe between 1618 and 1648, was one of the most destructive conflicts in History of Europe, European history. An estimated 4.5 to 8 million soldiers and civilians died from battle, famine ...

. The gallery was not enriched, but depleted during the successive reigns of Francesco II. In order to raise funds, the duke decided to sell the finest pieces of the collection to

Augustus III of Poland Augustus III (; – "the Saxon"; ; 17 October 1696 5 October 1763) was List of Polish monarchs, King of Poland and Grand Duchy of Lithuania, Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1733 until 1763, as well as List of rulers of Saxony, Elector of Saxony i ...

for the considerable sum of 100,000 Venetian '' zecchini'' (the equivalent of around 650 kg of gold). Thus, in July 1746, works by

Giulio Romano Giulio Pippi ( – 1 November 1546), known as Giulio Romano and Jules Romain ( , ; ), was an Italian Renaissance painter and architect. He was a pupil of Raphael, and his stylistic deviations from High Renaissance classicism help define the ...

, Andrea del Sarto,

Rubens Sir Peter Paul Rubens ( ; ; 28 June 1577 – 30 May 1640) was a Flemish artist and diplomat. He is considered the most influential artist of the Flemish Baroque tradition. Rubens' highly charged compositions reference erudite aspects of clas ...

, Velázquez,

Holbein Holbein may refer to: *Holbein (surname) *Holbein, Saskatchewan, a small village in Canada *Holbein carpet, a type of Ottoman carpet *Holbein stitch, a type of embroidery stitch * Holbein (crater), a crater on Mercury {{Disambig ...

Titian Tiziano Vecellio (; 27 August 1576), Latinized as Titianus, hence known in English as Titian ( ), was an Italian Renaissance painter, the most important artist of Renaissance Venetian painting. He was born in Pieve di Cadore, near Belluno. Ti ...

Guercino Giovanni Francesco Barbieri (February 8, 1591 – December 22, 1666),Miller, 1964 better known as (il) Guercino (), was an Italian Baroque painter and draftsman from Cento in the Emilia region, who was active in Rome and Bologna. The vigorous n ...

Guido Reni Guido Reni (; 4 November 1575 – 18 August 1642) was an Italian Baroque painter, although his works showed a classical manner, similar to Simon Vouet, Nicolas Poussin, and Philippe de Champaigne. He painted primarily religious works, but al ...

, Carracci, and many others embarked for

Dresden Dresden (; ; Upper Saxon German, Upper Saxon: ''Dräsdn''; , ) is the capital city of the States of Germany, German state of Saxony and its second most populous city after Leipzig. It is the List of cities in Germany by population, 12th most p ...

. Such works may still be admired in the

Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister The (, ''Old Masters Gallery'') in Dresden, Germany, displays around 750 paintings from the 15th to the 18th centuries. It includes major Italian Renaissance painting, Italian Renaissance works as well as Dutch Golden Age painting, Dutch and F ...

today. Neither was Rinaldo I, his uncle and successor, able to enrich the duchy artistically. Ercole III and his predecessor, Francesco III, used the same pillaging method as Francesco I to salvage the gallery: depredating the duchy’s churches, but also aided by the use of raw impositions. One such example lies with

Niccolò dell'Abbate Niccolò dell'Abbate, sometimes Nicolò and Abate (1509 or 15121571) was a Mannerist Italian painter in fresco and oils. He was of the Emilia (region of Italy), Emilian school, and was part of the team of artists called the School of Fontaineble ...

’s frescoes detached from the walls of the Rocca di Scandiano, from which some paintings also arrived.

Napoleonic interlude

Such was the reputation of the d’Este collections, (the French ''letterato'' Charles de Brosses considered it "undoubtedly the finest in Italy”) it also attracted the eye of

Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte (born Napoleone di Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French general and statesman who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led Military career ...

. At the Armistice of Cherasco, he decreed that twenty of the Estensi paintings should go to Paris as payment for expenses of war incurred during his Italian campaigns of 1796. After a few months, the number increased to seventy. This period marks the most significant ransacking of Modena’s collections of paintings, drawings, archival books, and the d'Este's glyptic collection. On 14 October 1796 Napoleon entered Modena with two new commissars, Pierre-Anselme Garrau and Antoine Christophe Saliceti. Both went several times to sift through the Gallery of Drawings and Medals in the Palazzo Ducale, selecting works cited by visitors to the palace. Gilded enamel cameos and engraved semi-precious stones were sent to the

Louvre The Louvre ( ), or the Louvre Museum ( ), is a national art museum in Paris, France, and one of the most famous museums in the world. It is located on the Rive Droite, Right Bank of the Seine in the city's 1st arrondissement of Paris, 1st arron ...

and to their own estates. Some drawings were delegated to Modena's Academy of Fine Arts for didactic purposes, however an overwhelming number were sent to Paris, where they have remained ever since. Of the previously enviable selection reflecting high Renaissance practices which included the likes of Correggio, Parmigianino, Giulio Romano, Perino del Vaga, the Carracci brothers,

Botticelli Alessandro di Mariano di Vanni Filipepi ( – May 17, 1510), better known as Sandro Botticelli ( ; ) or simply known as Botticelli, was an Italian painter of the Early Renaissance. Botticelli's posthumous reputation suffered until the late 1 ...

's '' Calumny of Apelles,'' and a ''Judgement of Solomon'' by the workshop of Mantegna, only 700 remain. Currently housed in storage in Modena, the digital collection may now be viewed on the gallery's website. On 17 October, 94 volumes were chosen to be transferred from the ducal library to the

Bibliothèque Nationale A library is a collection of books, and possibly other materials and media, that is accessible for use by its members and members of allied institutions. Libraries provide physical (hard copies) or digital (soft copies) materials, and may be a p ...

in Paris, including numerous manuscripts and ancient codices. Napoleon personally took two 16th to 18th-century editions of

Caesar Gaius Julius Caesar (12 or 13 July 100 BC – 15 March 44 BC) was a Roman general and statesman. A member of the First Triumvirate, Caesar led the Roman armies in the Gallic Wars before defeating his political rival Pompey in a civil war. He ...

's '' Commentarii'' whilst rapidly passing through Modena. As for the collection of coins, the Bibliothèque received 900 imperial bronze coins, 124 of which were from Roman colonies; 10 silver; 31 incised; as well as 44 Greek and 103 from the Papal mint. Napoleon’s wife Joséphine followed suite. During her sojourn in Modena's Palazzo Ducale in February 1797, she was unsatisfied with merely 'looking at' the numismatic collection. The empress took about two hundred, in addition to those selected by the court members of her husband who accompanied her. Numerous paintings of the Emilian school such as

’s altarpiece depicting Modena’s patron saints (1651) and his ''St. Paul'' (1644), as well as ''The Purification of the Virgin'' by

, ''The Virgin Appears to Saints Luke and Catherine'' (1592) by

Annibale Carracci Annibale Carracci ( , , ; November 3, 1560 – July 15, 1609) was an Italian painter and instructor, active in Bologna and later in Rome. Along with his brother Agostino Carracci, Agostino and cousin Ludovico Carracci, Ludovico (with whom the Ca ...

, ''The Dream of Job'' (1593) by

Cigoli Lodovico or Ludovico Cardi (21 September 1559 – 8 June 1613), also known as Cigoli, was an Italian painter and architect of the late Mannerist and early Baroque period, trained and active in his early career in Florence, and spending the last ...

, ''The Mocking of Christ'' by Giambologna and others never returned. It is estimated that 1,300 pictures were exported to the Louvre.

Restoration

From his exile in

Treviso Treviso ( ; ; ) is a city and (municipality) in the Veneto region of northern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Treviso and the municipality has 87.322 inhabitants (as of December 2024). Some 3,000 live within the Venetian wall ...

, Ercole III sold various objects he had brought with him, but he also made some additions to his collection, in an attempt to remedy the Napoleonic plundering. With the restoration of Duke Francis IV of Austria-Este in Modena and the

Treaty of Paris (1815) The Treaty of Paris of 1815, also known as the Second Treaty of Paris, was signed on 20 November 1815, after the defeat and the abdication of Napoleon (1815), second abdication of Napoleon Bonaparte. In February, Napoleon had escaped from his e ...

came the recovering of many important works. Only 21 paintings previously part of the Estense collection returned to Modena, in addition to two new paintings acquired as remuneration by

. On the backdrop of the Church's diminishing status came the growing trend for art collection as a means of upholding the local authority of the nobility. Francis IV thus contributed works to the gallery from nearby towns through the tried and tested Este method of looting churches. In 1822, a newfound interest in early Italian "Primitive" paintings prompted the acquisitions from the rich collection of Marquis Tommaso degli Obizzi, including works by

Barnaba da Modena Barnaba da Modena (c. 1328-c.1386) was a mid-14th-century Italy, Italian painter who painted in the style of Byzantine art.Raimond Van Marle, ''The Development of the Italian Schools of Painting'', Springer Science & Business Media, 2012, p. 382-3 ...

, Apollonio di Giovanni, Bartolomeo Bonascia and Francesco Bianchi Ferrari. His son Francis V also made some new purchases and reopened the gallery relocated during the reign of his father to the Palazzo Ducale.

From 1859 to today

With the unification of Italy in 1859, the Este line came to an end. During the transition there were inevitably some losses and thefts. Luigi Carlo Farini, reigning dictator over the Modenese provinces on behalf of the new

Italian government The government of Italy is that of a democratic republic, established by the Italian constitution in 1948. It consists of Legislature, legislative, Executive (government), executive, and Judiciary, judicial subdivisions, as well as of a head of ...

, was accused by some of having appropriated valuables kept in the Palazzo Ducale in which he and his government resided, although it is as of yet unclear on what grounds such allegations were made. In 1879, the palace became the headquarters of the Military Academy, depriving the city of its use. The gallery was forced to relocate to the eighteenth-century palace built by Francesco III, now known as the ''Palazzo dei Musei'', where it coexists with the Lapidary Museum, the Civic Museum and Archives on the ground floor and the Estense library on the third floor. The gallery's itinerary has undergone several rearrangements over the years, with the curation of the rooms remaining in a constant state of revision. A notably recent change occurred following the earthquake in May 2012. After a three year renovation period, it was reopened to the public in 2015. Never-before-seen works were retrieved from storage, new lighting and a microclimate system supporting the conservation of exhibits and digital displays were installed, ensuring the Estense Gallery remains a nucleus of culture to both locals and tourists travelling off the beaten track on their way from Venice to Rome.

Collection

* ''Bust of St. Monica'' by Niccolo dell'Arca * ''Nativity with the Two Midwives'' by Pellegrino Aretusi *''Tancred baptizes Clorinda'' by Sisto Badalocchio *Terracotta sculptures by Antonio Begarelli *'' Bust of Francesco I d'Este'' by

Gian Lorenzo Bernini Gian Lorenzo (or Gianlorenzo) Bernini (, ; ; Italian Giovanni Lorenzo; 7 December 1598 – 28 November 1680) was an Italians, Italian sculptor and Italian architect, architect. While a major figure in the world of architecture, he was more prom ...

*''Crucifixion'' and ''St. Christopher'' by Aelbrecht Bouts *Miniatures by Anna Campori *Engraved portrait miniature by

Rosalba Carriera Rosalba Carriera (12 January 1673 – 15 April 1757) was an Italians, Italian Rococo painter. In her younger years, she specialized in portrait miniatures. Carriera would later become known for her pastel portraits, helping popularize the medium ...

*''Madonna and Child with St. Anne'' by

Joos van Cleve Joos van Cleve (; also Joos van der Beke; c. 1485–1490 – 1540/1541) was a leading painter active in Antwerp from his arrival there around 1511 until his death in 1540 or 1541. Within Dutch and Flemish Renaissance painting, he combines the tr ...

*''Lamentation with St. Francis and St. Bernardino'' by

*''Madonna Campori'' and others by

*''The Nativity'' by Battista Dossi *''The Jester; panels from Alfonso d'Este's Bedroom Ceiling;'' ''Ercole d'Este'' and others by

Dosso Dossi Giovanni di Niccolò de Luteri, better known as Dosso Dossi ( 1489–1542) was an Italian Renaissance painter who belonged to the School of Ferrara, painting in a style mainly influenced by Venetian painting, in particular Giorgione and early Tit ...

*'' Modena Triptych'' by

El Greco Doménikos Theotokópoulos (, ; 1 October 1541 7 April 1614), most widely known as El Greco (; "The Greek"), was a Greek painter, sculptor and architect of the Spanish Renaissance, regarded as one of the greatest artists of all time. ...

*''Hercules on Horseback'', sculpture by Bertoldo di Giovanni *''Madonna and Child'' by follower of Jan Gossaert *A Carrara marble Guitar and Harpsichord by Michele Antonio Grandi *''Martyrdom of St. Peter''; ''Venus, Cupid and Mars'' and others by

*''Portrait of the poet Fulvio Testi'' by Ludovico Lana *''Moses Defends Jethro's Daughters; The Marriage of Moses and Zipporah'' by

*''Portrait of Francis of Valois-Angouleme'' by

Corneille de Lyon Corneille de Lyon (early 16th century – 8 November 1575 (buried)) was a Dutch people, Dutch painter of portraits who was active in Lyon, France, from 1533 until his death. In France and the Netherlands he is also still known as ''Corneille de ...

*''Lucretia, Brutus and Collatinus'' by Gianfrancesco Maineri *Portraits and ''Henry IV at Canossa'' by Adeodato Malatesta *Portable polyptychs by

Tommaso Tommaso is an Italian given name. It has also been used as a surname. Notable people with the name include: Given name A * Tommaso Acquaviva d'Aragona (1600–1672), Roman Catholic prelate * Tommaso Aldrovandini (1653–1736), Italian painter of ...

and

*''Martyrdom of St. Catherine'' by Lelio Orsi *''Madonna and Child'' by Domenico Panetti *Landscapes attributed to Antonio Francesco Perruzzini *''Christ Crucified'' by

*''Ecstasy of St. Francis; The Fortune Teller'' by

Lionello Spada Leonello Spada (also called ''Lionello Spada'') (1576 – 17 May 1622) was an Italians, Italian painter of the Baroque period, active in Rome and his native city of Bologna, where he became known as one of the followers of Caravaggio. Biogr ...

*Scenes from Ovid's ''Metamorphoses'' by

Tintoretto Jacopo Robusti (late September or early October 1518Bernari and de Vecchi 1970, p. 83.31 May 1594), best known as Tintoretto ( ; , ), was an Italian Renaissance painter of the Venetian school. His contemporaries both admired and criticized th ...

*''St. Anthony of Padua'' by Cosimo Tura *''Adoration of the Magi'' by Palma Vecchio *''Portrait of

Francesco I d'Este, Duke of Modena Francesco I d'Este (6 September 1610 – 14 October 1658) was Duke of Modena and Reggio from 1629 until his death. The eldest son of Alfonso III d'Este, he became reigning duke after his father's abdication. Biography Born on 6 September 1610 ...

'' by

*''San Geminiano Organ Shutter panels'' by

*''The Dance of Hours'' by Giuseppe Zattera *Roundels from Virginia de' Medici's Apartment in the Palazzo dei Diamanti by the Carracci brothers *A collection of fresco cycles from the Rocca di Scandiano by Niccolò dell'Abate and from the Rocca di Novellara by Lelio Orsi.

Key works

File:Guido Reni - Crocifissione. Galleria Estense Modena.JPG, alt=Wili,

'', Christ Crucified'', 1636. File:Galleria Estense -Busto del Bernini.JPG,

, '' Bust of Francesco I d'Este'', 1650-1. File:Friuli o tirolo, sella da parata con le armi di ercole I d'este, post 1474 (galleria estense) 01.jpg, ''Parade saddle'', 1470-80. File:Manifattura corinzia o magno-greca, kouros, 490 ac ca.jpg, ''Kouros'', early 5th century B.C. File:Boy with Thorn, marble, 150 AD, Antikensammlung Berlin, Sk 485, 141765.jpg, ''Boy with thorn'', late 1st century B.C. File:Guido mazzoni, testa di vecchio, 1480-85 ca. 01.jpg, Guido Mazzoni, ''Head of an old man'', 1480-5. File:Ludovico carracci, assunzione della vergine, 1607 ca.jpg, Ludovico Carracci, ''The Assumption of the Virgin'', 1607. File:Arte romana, rilievo con aion-phanes entro lo zodiaco, 150 dc ca., probabilmente da un mitreo.jpg, ''Relief with Aion-Phanes'', 125-50 AD. File:Bartolomeo bonascia, pietà, 1475-95 ca. 02.jpg, Bartolomeo Bonascia, ''Pietà,'' 1475-95 File:Cosmè Tura 009.jpg, Cosmè Tura, ''Saint Anthony of Padua'', 1484–88 File:Francesco Bianchi Ferrari - Pala delle Tre Croci.jpg, Francesco Bianchi Ferrari, ''Crucifixion,'' 1485-90. File:Correggio, madonna campori.jpg,

, ''Madonna Campori,'' 1517-8. File:Paolo Veronese - St Mennas - WGA24810.jpg,

, ''Saint Menna,'' 1558-61. File:El greco, altarolo portatile, 1567-68, 01.jpg,

, ''Portable Altarpiece,'' 1567-8. File:Annibale Carracci - Venere e Cupido Modena.jpg,

, ''Venus and Cupid,'' 1592. File:Jacopo Tintoretto - Deucalion and Pyrrha Praying before the Statue of the Goddess Themis - WGA22663.jpg, Jacopo Tintoretto, ''Scenes from Ovid's Metamorphoses,'' 1541-5. File:Guercino Marte Venere Cupido.jpg,

, ''Venus, Mars and Cupid,'' 1633. File:Francesco I d'Este, Duke of Modena in 1638 by Diego Velázquez.jpg,

, '' Portrait of Francesco I d'Este'', 1638. File:Antonio begarelli, madonna col bambino, 1540 ca.jpg, Antonio Begarelli, ''The Virgin and Child,'' c.1535. File:Ignaz elhafen, piatto da parata con raffigurazioni marine, 1670-80 ca, avorio, madreperla, corno e legno (modena, gallerie estensi) 01.jpg, Ignaz Elhafen (?), ''Platter with sea scenes,'' 1670-80. File:Grinling gibbons, vanitas (allegoria della morte di re carlo II stuart d'inghilterra), 1685 ca. 04 teschio.jpg,

Grinling Gibbons Grinling Gibbons (4 April 1648 – 3 August 1721) was an Anglo-Dutch sculptor and wood carver known for his work in England, including Windsor Castle, the Royal Hospital Chelsea and Hampton Court Palace, St Paul's Cathedral and other London church ...

, ''Vanitas,'' c.1685. File:Manifattura trapanese, presepe in corallo, argento, legno e metallo dorato, xviii secolo, 05.jpg, Trapani workshop, ''Nativity Scene,'' 18th century. File:Cerchia di giovan battista giacomelli, arpa doppia, 1581, decorata nel 1587-88, con fregio del 1588-93, 01.jpg, Giovanni Battista Giacometti, Giulio Marescotti, el Bastarolo, ''Estense Harp'', 1581-93. File:Domenico galli e liutaio ignoto, violoncello, 1691, 01.jpg, Domenico Galli, ''Cello'', 1691. File:CdM, pisanello, medaglia di leonello d'este 1441-1443 verso.jpg,

Pisanello Pisanello (), born Antonio di Puccio Pisano or Antonio di Puccio da Cereto, also erroneously called Vittore Pisano by Giorgio Vasari, was one of the most distinguished painters of the early Italian Renaissance and Quattrocento. He was acclaimed b ...

, ''Medal of Leonello d'Este,'' c.1440. File:Giovanni di paolo, adorazione del bambino, 1430-40 ca.jpg, Giovanni di Paolo, ''Adoration of the Christ child'', c.1430-40. File:Dosso dossi, formelle del soffitto della camera da letto di alfonso I d'este, 1520-22, ebbrezza.jpg,

, ''The Ceiling of Alfonso I's Bedroom'', 1520-22. File:Wiligelmo, madonna dei cattania, 1100-1120 ca., dalla sagra di carpi 01.jpg, ''Madonna and Child,'' Wiligelmo, c.1100-20. File:Apollonio di giovanni, novella di griselda, 1440 ca. 01.jpg, ''The Tale of Griselda'', Apollonio of Giovanni, c.1440. File:Passerotti Vecchia che ride Galleria Estense Modena.JPG, ''Head of an Old Woman'' Passerotti Bartolomeo, c.1575-80

References

Bibliography

* Luigi Amorth, ''Modena capitale: storia di Modena e dei suoi duchi dal 1598 al 1860'', Martello Editore, Milano, 1973 * Jadranka Bentini, ''Disegni della Galleria Estense di Modena,'' Panini, Modena, 1989. * Herman van Bergeijk, "The first half of the seventeenth century: from the castle to the palace" in ''The Ducal Palace of Modena, seven centuries of a city space'', edited by A. Biondi, Modena 1987. * Maria Grazia Bernardini, ''La Galleria Estense di Modena: guida storico-artistica'', Cinisello Balsamo, Silvana Editoriale, 2006, . * Giorgio Bonsanti, ''Galleria Estense'', Banca popolare di Modena, Modena, 1977 * Stefano Casciu (ed.), (trans. David Kerr),''The Galleria Estense in Modena: a brief guide'', Franco Cosimo Panini, Modena, 2015, . * Stefano Casciu; Sonia Cavicchioli; Elena Fumagalli, ''Modena barocca: Opere e artisti alla corte di Francesco I d'Este (1629–1658)'' Edifir Edizioni Firenze, Firenze, 2013. * Luciano Chiappini, ''Gli Estensi'', Collana ''Le grandi famiglie d'Europa'', Edizioni Dall'Olio, Milano, 1967 * Alessandra Mottola Molfino; Mauro Natale; et al., ''Le Muse e il Principe. Arte di corte del Rinascimento Padano'', catalogo della Mostra tenuta a Milano nel 1991, Franco Cosimo Panini Editore, Modena, 1991 * Angelo Namias, ''Storia di Modena e dei Paesi Circostanti,'' Arnaldo Forni Editore, Bologna, 1893. * Giuseppe Panini, ''La famiglia Estense da Ferrara a Modena'', Edizioni Armo, Modena, 1996 * Angelo Spaggiari e Giuseppe Trenti, ''The state of Modena: a capital, a dynasty, a civilization in the history of Europe,'' Vol. II, Istituto Poligrafico and Zecca dello Stato- Archivi Stato, Modena, 2001. * Adolto Venturi, ''La Galleria Estense di Modena,'' Edizioni Panini, Modena, 1989.

External links

Official websiteShort film exploring the entirety of d'Este line through shots of the gallery and highlights of its collection
''on Discover page of Official website''
House of Este page
on ''Britannica''.

on ''Este court archives.'' {{authority control Art museums and galleries in Emilia-Romagna Museums in Modena Art museums and galleries established in 1884 1884 establishments in Italy National museums of Italy