The Municipality of Sondrio and the MVSA – Valtellinese Museum of History and Art present the new edition of “The Essence of Easter”, the exhibition project that proposes, on the occasion of the main Christian calendar holidays, the temporary exhibition of a particularly important work from important cultural institutions.

The protagonist of the 2026 edition will be an intense Crucifixion created in the 16th century by Girolamo Sellari, known as da Carpi, on loan from BPER. The work conveys a dramatic image of Calvary and reflects a turning point in the production of the Ferrarese painter, who in these years abandons the elegant youthful models to approach a darker and more dramatic style. The painting, which shows influences of Giulio Romano and Northern derivation, conveys a strong sense of pain and storm, both in nature and in people, transforming the Crucifixion into a powerful and emotionally charged scene.

The work will be exhibited in the most evocative space of Palazzo Sassi de’ Lavizzari, home of the MVSA: the 17th-century stüa, a representative environment of the Salis-Zizers family that, due to its intimate and contemplative character, is particularly suitable for the enjoyment of sacred subject works.

The initiative is part of the path started by the MVSA in recent years to enhance, through art, the most significant moments of the Christian tradition. After the Christmas exhibitions dedicated to Madonna and Child by Giovanni Bellini, the Adoration of the Shepherds from the workshop of Veronese, and other important loans from Italian museum institutions, the museum continues its reflection on the Easter season, already at the center of study initiatives and the exhibition “Holy Cross” held in 2025.