Museo del Novecento (Museum of the Twentieth Century) is located next to the Duomo inside the Palazzo dell’Arengario, and faces the Galleria.  The exhibits are all from Italy created since 1900.  The building looks like one of those in paintings by Giorgio de Chirico (which we saw several in the museum).  This museum features Italian art made after 1900.

One of the first paintings we encountered is the Fourth Estate (Il Quatro Stato) by Giuseppe Pellizza da Volpedo.  It was painted in 1900 and is an iconic representation of the labor movement in Italy.  The photo below only shows the middle portion of this painting.  On either side are a row of workers marching towards the viewer. And it was powerful.

Furturism is an “ism” that I like – represented by Giaccomo Balla and Gino Severini.  I thought this is the place to see them. But I did not think it matched those few pieces that are on display in MOMA, NYC.  I had a Severini poster in my Time Square apartment living room for years. Some of you may remember it.

I enjoy looking at art in museums and galleries but seldom want to possess any of the pieces. The series of pictures (by Balla, I believe) below is an exception.  I would be very happy to own them and display them in a prominent spot in my house.  Click on the picture to see a full screen version of it.

As you ascend the building, the pieces are more recent and conceptual.

One of the gallery faces Piazza Duomo and a neon light sculpture was hung from the ceiling.

The view from the Museum of the piazza and the galleria.

This sunny spot on the top floor matches the spirit of this painting by Osvaldo Licini but the sunlight cannot be good for it.  This is the first time I saw this painter’s work.  I searched under Google Images and found many which I like.  To me, his style is that of a mix of Klee and Miro.

On display is a can of shit made by the artist, Piero Manzoni – “Artist’s shit” and on the can, it is stated its price is worth its weight in gold. 90 tins were produced in 1961.  According to Wikipedia, tin no. 83 was sold for nearly GBP100,000 by Sotherby’s !