From September 23, 2025 to January 11, 2026, the halls of Palazzo Reale in Milan will host the exhibition “Appiani. Neoclassicism in Milan”, an international project dedicated to Andrea Appiani (Milan, 1754 – 1817), a leading figure of Milanese Neoclassicism and “First Painter” of Napoleonic Italy.

Curated by Francesco Leone, Fernando Mazzocca and Domenico Piraina, the exhibition brings together over 100 works from major international institutions – including the Louvre, the Grand Palais, and the Châteaux de Malmaison et de Bois-Préau – as well as from prestigious Italian collections such as the Pinacoteca di Brera, the Galleria d’Arte Moderna, and Villa Carlotta.

A tribute to a protagonist of Neoclassical Milan

The exhibition offers a broad and in-depth look at Appiani’s artistic production, which, with refinement and expressive power, narrates the political and cultural trajectory of an entire era.

Known as the “Painter of the Graces,” Appiani immortalized key figures of cultural and political life – from Napoleon Bonaparte to Joséphine de Beauharnais, from Giuseppe Parini to Ugo Foscolo – portraying Milan as a vibrant city at the heart of the European dialogue between the Enlightenment and the Empire.

An international collaboration

The initiative, promoted by the Municipality of Milan – Culture and produced by Palazzo Reale, Civita Mostre e Musei, Electa and MondoMostre with the support of Fondazione Bracco and Biofer Spa, is part of the Milano Cortina 2026 Cultural Olympiad, reaffirming Milan’s role as an international capital of culture and innovation.

Visitor information

📍 Appiani. Neoclassicism in Milan
📅 September 23, 2025 – January 11, 2026
📌 Palazzo Reale, Milan
📔 The official exhibition catalogue, featuring essays and in-depth studies, is published by Electa.