The masterpiece by the genius from Urbino returns to the capital of Abruzzo after 400 years, thanks to a loan from the Prado Museum in Madrid, in an unprecedented comparison with the celebrated work by the Florentine master.
From June 27, the Municipality of L’Aquila and the National Museum of Abruzzo present “The Visitation in L’Aquila. Raphael and Pontormo“, a fascinating and ambitious exhibition project that is one of the most important and representative events in the program of L’Aquila, Italian Capital of Culture 2026. The exhibition reconstructs the genesis of Raphael’s altarpiece of the same name, commissioned by his friend and patron Giovanni Battista Branconio, exploring its success and its artistic and cultural implications.
The exhibition, supported by the Municipality of L’Aquila and curated by art historians Tom Henry and Federica Zalabra, Director of the National Museum of Abruzzo, will run until September 27th in the 16th-century castle, recently returned to the city. It offers a broad and accessible exhibition, aimed at highlighting the Museum’s role as an institution serving the community and preserving memory.
This is an event of international scope and great scholarly value. The masterpiece by the master from Urbino, currently housed at the Prado Museum in Madrid, will be displayed alongside Pontormo’s famous “Visitation of Carmignano,” owned by the Diocese of Pistoia.
The exhibition stems from the need to ideally bring back to L’Aquila, after 400 years, one of the most significant chapters in the city’s artistic and patronage history: Raphael’s work for the Branconio Chapel in the Church of San Silvestro. The goal is twofold: first, to give the community of L’Aquila the opportunity to directly engage with Raphael’s masterpiece; on the other, to open new lines of research on Raphael’s workshop, on the circuit of relationships between artists and patrons and on Branconio’s role as a promoter and cultural mediator.
The exhibition is conceived by the National Museum of Abruzzo, while the Municipality of L’Aquila is its main supporter as part of the Restart 2 Programme – Priority C, intervention “Cultural events of L’Aquila’s national museums in 2026”, as part of the measures aimed at strengthening the city’s cultural offering during the Capital of Culture year.
Thematic Sections
The exhibition unfolds within the 16th-century Castle’s exhibition space, featuring two dedicated rooms to establish a direct dialogue between the temporary event and the Museum’s collections, further enhancing the visitor’s experience. The exhibition is divided into two thematic sections:
The Visitation from the Prado and the Visitation by Pontormo da Carmignano. One of the most important sections will be dedicated to Branconio’s work, from Madrid, and Pontormo’s work on the same iconographic theme. The Prado panel, intended for the family chapel in the church of San Silvestro in L’Aquila, remained in its original context for over a century before being moved to Spain. It influenced many of Raphael’s late works and is crucial to understanding the work of his workshop, which included leading artists. The iconographic and stylistic innovations of the Visitation, along with Raphael’s new approach to this theme, will also be explored through the loan of Pontormo da Carmignano’s Visitation. The opportunity to display these two paintings together is a central element of the exhibition, allowing for further reflection within this ambitious project.
Palazzo Branconio. The second theme will be Palazzo Branconio in Rome, which no longer exists, but was originally located in a prestigious location on the road to the Vatican, and is among the most innovative examples of Raphael’s architectural style.
Materials on Display and Exhibition
The exhibition offers an unprecedented combination of paintings, drawings, prints, architectural models, archival documents, and educational materials. It also highlights the figure of Giovanni Battista Branconio, a key figure in the Rome of Leo X, a patron and friend of the artist from Urbino. Special attention is paid to showcasing the works of Raphael’s workshop, highlighting production processes, collaborations, and the distinctiveness of the artists.
The exhibition, designed to ensure accessible and inclusive viewing, integrates interpretive panels, digital reconstructions, and multimedia stations for in-depth exploration.
Catalog and Publishing Activities
The exhibition will be accompanied by a fully illustrated catalog in Italian, written and edited by the curators, with contributions from Francesco Desideri, Francesco Paolo Di Teodoro, Bruce Edelstein, and Ana González Mozo, leading scholars in the field. The volume will offer a critical synthesis of the research presented in the exhibition, along with scientific documentation, bibliographical notes, and high-quality reproductions. The catalog will be available for purchase at the Museum bookshop and through selected publishing channels.
An illustrated book has been created for 10-year-olds, who can follow Mary and Elizabeth, protagonists of a fascinating story in the painting The Visitation, created by Raphael Sanzio for his friend Giovanni Battista Branconio, on an extraordinary journey through the streets, squares, and monuments of the city of L’Aquila, starting from the National Museum of Abruzzo.
On sale at the exhibition bookshop.
Accessibility
The Museum also continues its commitment, begun in 2022, to increasingly accessible, inclusive, and participatory cultural experiences, focusing on expanding and diversifying audiences. To this end, a dedicated tour itinerary is being developed for the blind and visually impaired, with the provision of boxed sets containing guides in Braille and Minolta prints, as well as facilitated guides for people with intellectual disabilities, created using Easy-to-Read language and Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) materials.
Furthermore, for this temporary exhibition, MUNDA is engaging with the National Institute for the Deaf, ensuring digital accessibility. This includes the production of two video guides dedicated to the artwork and the exhibition itinerary, Italian Sign Language (LIS) interpretation services for the presentation press conference, and three specialized guided tours, scheduled for June, July, and September.
Project promoted by the Municiallity of L’Aquila
for L’Aquila 2026 – Italian Capital of Culture, funded through RESTART CIPESS n° 10/2025
