More than three centuries later, the Apartments of the Princes of Palazzo Carignano in Turin will once again host the painting Belisarius Asks for Alms by Stefano Maria Legnani, known as Legnanino (Milan, 1661 - 1713), from December 2025 to January 6, 2026. The work deals with a rare subject in Baroque painting, depicting the Roman general Belisarius reduced to poverty and left blind. This iconographic choice takes on a clear allegorical value, closely related to the personal vicissitude of the commissioner who wanted it made. In fact, the fate of the condottiere is juxtaposed with the story of Emanuele Filiberto of Savoy-Carignano, known as “the Mute,” whose conflict with Louis XIV ended in exile, a consequence of his refusal to enter into an imposed marriage with a French noblewoman.
The figures are arranged according to a stage construction with a strong theatrical impact, articulated in two distinct groups by the skillful use of light and shadow. The composition combines a classical-style solemnity with a vibrant chromatic richness, influenced by the tradition of Genoese painters active at the Savoy court.
Created around 1697 at the behest of Prince Emanuele Filiberto, the work now returns to its original location thanks to a complex research effort that involved in-depth studies, archival investigations and specialized collaborations, enabling its identification and recovery. Commissioned in the late 17th century to decorate a room in the apartments, the large canvas, measuring 208 by 195 centimeters, was probably originally placed in the center of a coffered ceiling. It was later transferred to Paris by the prince’s son, Victor Amadeus, and upon his death was dispersed following its sale at auction in 1743, thus losing any documented connection with the palace.
Reappearing on the French antiquarian market in the early twentieth century, the canvas was purchased by the progenitor of a Florentine family, with an attribution then referred to Luca Giordano. Kept in the family’s private collections until recently, it underwent a thorough restoration between 2020 and 2021 that restored its legibility and integrity. On November 3, 2025, the Royal Residences of Savoy formalized the acquisition of the work.
The return of the Belisarius to its original location represents an important moment in the artistic and collecting history of Palazzo Carignano, which is part of the broader context of a major redevelopment project that will allow, over the next year, the opening of a completely renovated museum itinerary within the prestigious residence, equipped with state-of-the-art exhibition and museographic solutions.
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| Turin, Legnanino's Belisario returns to Palazzo Carignano after more than three centuries |
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