The Art Gallery

The art gallery is sited inside the old Canopoleno Jesuit College, a building which was built in the period from the middle of the 16th Century to the start of the 17th Century. It is part of the old town, and close to the most important historical buildings of the city. The adjacent Jesuit church of Gesù e Maria, now dedicated to Santa Caterina, was an integral part of the structure.

The recent establishment of the Art Gallery was the result of the need to find a home for the rich cultural artistic heritage which had come into the hands of the state through a series of donations from private citizens. Previously, with the exception of a small selection which were exhibited in the G.A. Sanna National Archeological Museum, these were kept in store rooms. The exhibition covers three floors of the building and consists in all of more than 400 works of art, mainly paintings. It is divided into different themes (religious subjects, mythology, history, portraits, landscapes, still lifes, genre scenes etc.). These are organised chronologically and show the work or different Italian and European artists and schools from the medieval period to the middle of the 20th Century. There is also an important collection of the works of Sardinian artists from the early 20th century and a rich collection of graphic works.