Museo di San Domenico - Collezioni d'arte della città

Imola’s civic art collections occupy the former Dominican convent of San Domenico. Paintings, sculpture, ceramics and drawings connect the city’s artistic history with its historic monastic setting.

Why it matters

The collection follows local patronage and artistic production from medieval works to contemporary art. The former dormitory, convent library and cloister-side rooms retain the character of the buildings adapted for display.

What to notice

Works include paintings by Innocenzo da Imola and Lavinia Fontana, a portrait by Bartolomeo Cesi and sculpture by Cincinnato Baruzzi. Later art and ceramics extend the collection beyond the Renaissance. The cloisters and recovered convent rooms are an important part of the ensemble.

Context and history

The Dominican foundation dates to the thirteenth century. After the friars left in 1797, the complex served as barracks. Restoration begun in the 1970s recovered historic spaces for cultural use. The art collections now form part of the wider San Domenico museum complex alongside the Giuseppe Scarabelli collections.