Giovanni Bernardo Carbone returns to the exhibition with Amelie At Palazzo Nicolosio Lomellino, in Genoa, the value of the dress is staged

From October 10, 2026 to January 24, 2027, the extraordinary Palazzo Nicolosio Lomellino, a privately owned jewel located in Via Garibaldi and one of the most prestigious Palazzi dei Rolli in Genoa, hosts the first major monographic exhibition dedicated to Giovanni Bernardo Carbone (1616-1683). The exhibition, entitled Giovanni Bernardo Carbone. A fashionable portrait painter in mid-17th century Genoa, he offers a fascinating dialogue between painting, the history of costume and social identity. To enrich this journey, Amelie, a Made in Italy clothing brand that supports the cultural initiative, transforming the exhibition into a contemporary reflection on the value of clothing as an expression of itself.

Clothing as a language: the dialogue between the seventeenth century and Amelie

In the portraits of Giovanni Bernardo Carbone, clothing does not only represent a decorative element, but a precise visual code through which the image of the individual is constructed and his role in seventeenth-century society is defined. The dress thus becomes a social communication tool capable of narrating belonging, prestige and power. It is precisely from this assumption that the synergy with Amelie is born: without looking for simple formal parallels with the past, the Made in Italy brand, which has always been a supporter of the "no size, no age, no season" philosophy, offers a continuity of meaning.

If in the seventeenth century clothing was a symbol of status and social rigidity, today it becomes a space of freedom, inclusion and self-determination. Amelie's vision is part of the exhibition itinerary as a contemporary interpretation of an elegance emancipated from stringent codes, restoring centrality to the person and his uniqueness. Inside the rooms of Palazzo Lomellino, a selection of Amelie dresses presented on a mannequin communicates directly with the baroque canvases, creating an ideal bridge between the aristocratic Genoa of the seventeenth century and the inclusive sensibility of today's fashion.

The first monograph on Giovanni Bernardo Carbone

Curated by Daniele Sanguineti, professor of Modern Art History at the University of Genoa and author of the most recent monograph on the painter, the exhibition brings together about thirty works from prestigious public and private collections. The itinerary reconstructs the evolution of Carbone's figurative language and its fundamental role in defining the image of the elite of the Republic of Genoa. In addition to the famous male, female and child portraits, the exhibition presents a selection of religious paintings that testify to the artist's deep attention to the naturalness of the figure and the psychological introspection of the subjects.

A distinctive element of the event is the careful analysis of the history of costume. The extraordinary precision with which Carbone painted fabrics, lace, jewelry and hairstyles makes his canvases a real testimony of the fashion of the time, revealing a cosmopolitan society open to influences from Spain, France and the Netherlands. In fact, the scientific project makes use of the contribution of experts in the history of fabric such as Marzia Cataldi Gallo, Thessy Schoenholzer Nichols and Loredana Pessa. To enrich the visitors' experience, there is also an immersive installation equipped with an LED wall and multimedia content, designed to enhance the beauty rituals and charm of baroque Genoa. Promoted by the Palazzo Lomellino Association of Strada Nuova APS, the exhibition will be accompanied by a scientific conference and a series of events aimed at rediscovering one of the most refined masters of Ligurian painting.