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He finally went to Italy: Pinacoteca Nazionale di Bologna

Updated 12/24/2025

St. Helen in Adoration of the Cross and a Nun by di Filippo — St. Helen in Adoration of the Cross and a Nun by Simone di Filippo, 1375 - 1380. Another "comics go way back" thing...

Paradise and Inferno by Avicenna — Paradise and Inferno by Maestro dell'Avicenna, circa 1435. And another Satan eating and pooping people thing... except since he has two heads I guess he's actually just eating both of them. How does this Satan poop, though?

Madonna and Child on a Throne Between Saints Petronio and John the Evangelist by del Cossa — Madonna and Child on a Throne Between Saints Petronio and John the Evangelist by Fancesco del Cossa, 1474. His pigments have not held up well and the lighting does it absolutely no favors but check out the advanced (for the time) shading and perspective.

St. Cecilia with Saints Paul, John the Evangelist, and Agostino and Mary Magdalen by Raphael — Finally another Raphael, now we're talking! St. Cecilia with Saints Paul, John the Evangelist, and Agostino and Mary Magdalen by Raphael Sanzio, 1515 - 1516.

Eternal Father with the Dove of the Holy Spirit by Mazzolino — Eternal Father with the Dove of the Holy Spirit by Ludovico Mazzolino, 1524. How do I NOT show this one? Loving God's hairstylist here.

Madonna and Child and the Saints Margaret, Girolamo and Petrionio by Parmigianino — Madonna and Child and the Saints Margaret, Girolamo and Petrionio by Parmigianino, 1529. Compare to Raphael's - only 15 years later but from a whole other planet.

Mary Visits Elizabeth by Tintoretto — Mary Visits Elizabeth by Tintoretto, circa 1550.

Christ and the Good Thief by Titian — Christ and the Good Thief by Titian, circa 1563. The photo only hints at the amazing mastery of form and anatomy.

The Virgin Assumed into Glory by Sabatini — The Virgin Assumed into Glory by Lorenzo Sabatini, 1569 - 1570.

God the Father and Jesus Christ Crown the Virgin with Saints Naborre, Felice, Fancesco, Clara, John the Baptist, Mary Magdalen and Catherine of Alexandria by Samacchini — God the Father and Jesus Christ Crown the Virgin with Saints Naborre, Felice, Fancesco, Clara, John the Baptist, Mary Magdalen and Catherine of Alexandria by Orazio Samacchini, circa 1575.

Presentation of the Virgin at the Temple by Passerotti — Presentation of the Virgin at the Temple by Bartolomeo Passerotti, 1583 - 1584.

The Carraccis

The three cousins Ludovico, Annibale, and Agostino were all active around the same time in Bologna (late 1500s - early 1600s). To my eye they're more or less equally and impressively talented. One hell of a family business!

The Last Communion of St. Jerome by Agostino Carracci — The Last Communion of St. Jerome by Agostino Carracci, 1591 - 1597.

Madonna and Child Enthroned and Saints John the Baptist, John the Evangelist, and Catherine of Alexandria by Annibale Carracci — Madonna and Child Enthroned and Saints John the Baptist, John the Evangelist, and Catherine of Alexandria by Annibale Carracci, 1593.

The Martyrdom of St. Ursula by Ludovico Carracci — The Martyrdom of St. Ursula by Ludovico Carracci, 1592.

Assumption of the Virgin by Agostino Carracci — Assumption of the Virgin by Agostino Carracci, 1592 - 1593.

Madonna and Child Glorified and Saints Ludwig, Alex, John the Baptist, Catherine, Francesco and Clara by Annibale Carracci — Madonna and Child Glorified and Saints Ludwig, Alex, John the Baptist, Catherine, Francesco and Clara by Annibale Carracci, 1590 - 1592.

Detail of Madonna and Child Glorified etc. by Annibale Carracci — Detail.

Slaughter of the Innocents by Reni — Slaughter of the Innocents by Guido Reni, 1611.

Jesus Crucified, the Virgin, and Saints Mary Magdalen and John the Evangelist by Reni — Jesus Crucified, the Virgin, and Saints Mary Magdalen and John the Evangelist by Guido Reni, 1619.

Portrait of Guido Reni by Cantarini — Portrait of Guido Reni by Simone Cantarini, circa 1636.

Annunciation by Faccini — Annunciation by Pietro Faccini, circa 1600.

Mourning the Dead Christ by Tiarini — Mourning the Dead Christ by Alessandro Tiarini, 1617.

Baptism of Christ by Albani — Baptism of Christ by Francesco Albani, 1619 - 1621.

Martyrdom of St. Agnes by Zampieri — Martyrdom of St. Agnes by Domenico Zampieri, 1621 - 1625.

St. Bruno Adoring the Madonna and Child in Glory by Guercino — St. Bruno Adoring the Madonna and Child in Glory by Guercino, 1647.

Genre Scene with Three Figures by Burrini — Genre Scene with Three Figures by Giovanni Burrini, 1678 - 1680.

Susanna and the Elders by Burrini — Susanna and the Elders by Giovanni Burrini, circa 1686.

Detail of Susanna and the Elders by Burrini — Detail. Oh the brush work!

Erminia Among the Shepherds by Burrini — Erminia Among the Shepherds by Giovanni Burrini, 1686 - 1690.

Detail of Erminia Among the Shepherds by Burrini — Detail.

Latona Transforms the Shepherds into Frogs by Crespi — Latona Transforms the Shepherds into Frogs by Giuseppe Crespi, 1710 - 1715.

The Hunter by Giuseppe by Crespi — The Hunter by Giuseppe Crespi, 1720 - 1725.

Portrait of Antonio Cartolari by Crespi — Portrait of Antonio Cartolari by Giuseppe Crespi, circa 1730.

Allegorical Tomb of John Campbell, Duke of Argyll, by Monti, Mirandolese, and Ferraiuoli — Allegorical Tomb of John Campbell, Duke of Argyll by Francesco Monti, Mirandolese, and Nunzio Ferraiuoli, circa 1730. This team effort does a great job highlighting the various night scenes.

Portrait of Young Woman by Gaetano Gandolfi and Child with His Hands on a Windowsill by Ubaldo Gandolfi — Portrait of Young Woman by Gaetano Gandolfi, 1766 - 1767, and Child with His Hands on a Windowsill by Ubaldo Gandolfi, 1777.

There was a separate exhibition of drawings and prints with some nice stuff, here are a couple highlights.

St. Donato Resusciates a Dead Person by Mazzoni — St. Donato Resusciates a Dead Person by Cesare Mazzoni, 1741.

The Drawing School of Francesco Rosaspina by Tomba — The Drawing School of Francesco Rosaspina by Giulio Tomba (after Felice Giani), circa 1810. I'm surprised at the amount of detail my phone managed to capture.