An Unexpected Collection
The New Art of the Sixties and a Tribute to Robert Rauschenberg

The grand corner room presents a major highlight, thanks to the inclusion of the Luigi and Peppino Agrati Collection into Intesa Sanpaolo's artistic heritage. For the first time in Milan, visitors can admire three complete sets of ten original silkscreens by Andy Warhol: Marilyn, Electric Chairs, and Mao Tse-Tung. These works on paper reflect on beauty, the transience of time, and the power of communication. Also on view is Waco, Texas by James Rosenquist, which further enriches the exhibition with another chapter of Pop culture.

The conversation on the new imagery of the 1960s continues in the last two perimeter rooms of the Salone Scala, featuring refined and intimate works by Roy Lichtenstein. Notably, Mirror #2 (1970)—a silent, almost minimal piece—and Brushstroke (1965) stand out as symbolic representations of American Pop Art.

The exhibition also touches on the figure of Jean-Michel Basquiat, who, still very young, exhibited under the pseudonym SAMO at the Mazzoli Gallery in Modena. Basquiat developed a deep connection with Italy and Naples, thanks in part to the gallerist Lucio Amelio, a close associate of Peppino Agrati. This cultural bridge between Italy and the United States is further represented by Francesco Clemente, who in 1984 collaborated with Basquiat and Andy Warhol on a collective work—here represented by Warhol's Vesuvius series.

At the heart of the exhibition is the Salone Scala, entirely dedicated to paying tribute to the great artist Robert Rauschenberg. The year 2025 marks the centenary of his birth, and on this special occasion, his deep connection with Italy and with Peppino Agrati—his friend and collector—is celebrated for the first time. Thanks to this relationship, 17 works are presented together, including the masterpiece Blue Exit (1961). This tribute highlights one of the core aspects of Rauschenberg's artistic research: from his early monochromes in the 1950s, he redefined Neo-Dada, becoming a leading figure in the visual culture of the 1960s.

The connection between Peppino Agrati and Lucio Amelio is also given special attention, represented in the exhibition by Trasmettitore Argento Glut (1987), originally shown in a historic exhibition curated by the Neapolitan gallerist. Alongside large-scale works and drawings, the exhibition includes extraordinary lithographs, showcasing not only Rauschenberg's technical innovations but also his relationship with the imagery, societal issues, and politics of his time. This is the first time the entire nucleus of Rauschenberg's works from the Luigi and Peppino Agrati Collection is shown to the public—an exceptional opportunity to appreciate how composition and graphic work were essential to his artistic language.

The exhibition offers a new and exceptional opportunity to explore and appreciate the many themes, artists, and movements represented in the Intesa Sanpaolo Collections.

The Luigi and Peppino Agrati Collection
Following the donation by the Agrati family, Intesa Sanpaolo became the owner and custodian of one of the most important collections of postwar art in Italy: the Luigi and Peppino Agrati Collection, now part of the Bank's artistic heritage. This exhibition continues its promotion, following "Art as Revelation. Works from the Luigi and Peppino Agrati Collection" in 2018 and "An Unexpected Collection: A Journey Through Contemporary Painting and Sculpture" in 2023.

The collection was started in 1968 by the two important industrialists, heirs and members of Lombardy's enlightened bourgeoisie. After Peppino's passing, his brother Luigi took over the project, and together with his wife, decided to donate this treasure to Intesa Sanpaolo. It includes unique works by Andy Warhol, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Robert Rauschenberg, Christo, and many of the most prominent Italian artists, such as Lucio Fontana, Piero Manzoni, Mario Schifano, Alberto Burri, and Fausto Melotti. The Agratis often maintained close personal relationships with these artists. Spanning from Informal Art to Pop Art, from Arte Povera to Conceptual Art, and on to Neo-Expressionism and Transavantgarde, the collection intersects with the movements that defined postwar art not only in Italy but internationally. It reflects a deep passion, intellectual and social sensitivity, and a strong bond between the collector, the artist, and the meaning of the artwork.

Special Events
The exhibition will be accompanied by #INSIDE events, free and open to the public.