Pinacoteca Nazionale

Lonely Planet review

The Pinacoteca Nazionale has a strong collection of works by Bolognese artists from the 14th century onwards, including a number of important canvases by the late 16th-century Carracci cousins Ludovico, Agostino and Annibale. Among the founding fathers of Italian Baroque art, the Carraccis were deeply influenced by the Counter-Reformation sweeping through Italy in the latter half of the 16th century.

Much of their work is religious and their imagery is often highly charged and emotional, designed to appeal to the piety of the viewing public. Works to look out for include Ludovico's Madonna Bargellini , the Comunione di San Girolamo (Communion of St Jerome) by Agostino and the Madonna di San Ludovico by Annibale. Elsewhere in the gallery you'll find several works by Giotto, as well as Raphael's Estasi di Santa Cecilia (Ecstasy of St Cecilia). El Greco and Titian are also represented, but by comparatively little-known works.