The apartment in Via Manzoni No. 12 in which the Poldi Pezzoli Museum is housed, was destined to become a museum bv a member of a noble family, Gian Giacomo Poldi Pezzoli in 1878.
It contains many rare pictures of the Lombardic School other than porcelains, enamels, jewels and other objects of unestimatable value. The profile of Pollaiolo’s “Young Woman” has a magic atmosphere, and is an excellent example of refined Renaissance culture. The collection of ancient arms, most of which were manufactured in Milan, is very famous.
It was badly damaged during the war, and as it was nothing but ruins, it was decided tc definitely demolish it. But the will of Ettore Modigliani, and after his death, that of Fernanda Wittgens, succeeded in imposing its re-building on the same site. The Poldi Pezzoli Museum is the richest and best private collecting in Europe, and can compete with the Wallace collection in London and the Jaquemart in Paris.
