Leading paintings

The book retraces the events through which the pictorial collection of the Pio di Savoia family of Carpi was gathered and expanded.

The stories in the collection clearly reflect the life of the family who, after the Lordship of Carpi, moved to Ferrara.

At the end of the 17^th century, the family increasingly lost their power.

In 1750 Prince Giberto Pio di Savoia asked Pope Benedict XIV for an “extraction” license, that is to export his paintings to Madrid, which then was the main domicile of the family.

The Pope granted the grace, keeping in Rome 126 paintings that formed the original collection of the Capitoline Art Gallery.