Opening on January 24, 2026, the city of Brescia will welcome a major cultural event at Palazzo Martinengo. The exhibition, titled “Liberty: The Art of Modern Italy,” is scheduled to run until June 14, offering a deep dive into the aesthetic movement that transformed the country at the dawn of the 20th century. As we informed in early October 2025, the exhibition is soon opening and follows the significant success of previous displays at the venue, aiming to highlight the “floral style” that defined Italian creativity between 1900 and 1915.
The exhibition features a curated selection of over one hundred masterpieces, many of which are being brought to the public eye from private collections for the first time. Visitors will have the rare opportunity to see works usually hidden from view, alongside significant loans from prestigious institutions like the National Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art in Rome and the Civic Museums of Udine. The collection illustrates how the Liberty style influenced every facet of life, from traditional painting to the emerging world of cinema.
Italian Liberty is characterized by its sinuous lines and elegant, nature-inspired forms. The artists of this era embraced modernity while rediscovering traditional craftsmanship, creating a unique Italian response to the European Art Nouveau movement. The selection of works at Palazzo Martinengo specifically reflects the pieces that debuted at historic events, such as the Venice Biennale and the 1902 International Exposition in Turin, which helped establish Italy’s modern artistic identity.
Curators Manuel Carrera, Davide Dotti, and Anna Villari have structured the exhibition into eight distinct thematic sections. These areas invite guests to explore various topics, including the genius of Galileo Chini’s ceramics, the evolution of high fashion, and the striking graphic design of vintage advertising posters. By placing painting and sculpture in dialogue with photography and applied arts, the exhibition provides a complete sensory experience of this vibrant historical period.
Art enthusiasts can look forward to seeing celebrated works by masters such as Vittorio Matteo Corcos, Gaetano Previati, and Plinio Nomellini. The display also includes evocative sculptures by Leonardo Bistolfi and Libero Andreotti. Beyond the canvas, the exhibition showcases the “divismo” of early cinema and the high-end tailoring of the era’s most famous fashion ateliers, capturing the sophisticated atmosphere of the Italian bourgeoisie.
The organizers have established a comprehensive official website for the event at https://www.mostraliberty.com/. This domain is a primary resource for anyone looking to understand the cultural significance of the exhibition or seeking detailed information about the featured artists and historical context. It is an essential stop for planning a visit to the palace in Brescia and is a great domain to book for an exhibition.
Once it opens on January 24, the exhibition will be available Wednesday through Friday from 9:00 to 17:00, and on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays from 10:00 to 20:00. Please note that the gallery is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. Special openings are also planned for major holidays throughout the spring, including Easter and the 1st of May, to accommodate the expected influx of visitors.
Tickets for the exhibition are highly accessible, with prices starting at just 6€ per person for student groups. Standard adult entry is 15€ and includes an audio guide to enhance the experience. To secure your entry and avoid waiting in line, you can book your tickets directly here through the official TicketOne portal.
For those who find themselves captivated by this elegant style, artnouveau.club offers exclusive private tours in the nearby city of Milan. Since Milan is a capital of Liberty architecture, these tours provide the perfect opportunity to see how the “floral style” moved from the gallery walls into the very streets and facades of a modern metropolis.
Interestingly, many of Italy’s most beautiful Art Nouveau treasures remain hidden from the typical tourist path. You can explore a fascinating perspective on this in the article Why there are no Art Nouveau attractions in the “TOP 10 must see in Milan” at https://artnouveau.club/no-art-nouveau-attractions-in-the-milan-top10. It is a great read for anyone looking to discover the secret side of Italian art history.
