From room 11 to 13
This room and the following two (no. 12 and 13) keep the original layout planned by Guido Zucchini in 1935 for the exhibition of 18th-century Bolognese art, which in 1936 became a permanent collection, the Collezioni Comunali d'Arte.
Zucchini followed an idea very fashionable in the first half of the 20th century, that of the “museo arredato” or the furnished museum.
These rooms are furnished with objects from the bequest of marquis Pier Ignazio Rusconi to the Municipality of Bologna (1930), and encompass a rich collection of paintings, furnishing and decorative art. Later on, works from the Pepoli and Verzaglia Rusconi bequests were added to the original acquisition.
These three collections are perfect examples of early 20th century collecting in Bologna and of its links to the world of the art dealers. The rooms with their damask wall hangings and precious tapestries reflect the Neo-Baroque taste so popular at the time. This wing of the museum was dedicated to Pier Ignazio Rusconi.
