Galleria Nazionale dell’Umbria acquires lost Caporali painting

The Galleria Nazionale dell’Umbria in Perugia has acquired the painting ‘San Rocco’ by Bartolomeo Caporali, a work dating to approximately 1487 that was previously considered lost.

Originally part of the ‘Pala dei Cacciatori di Castiglion del Lago’, the masterpiece was dismantled in the 1770s. The painting resurfaced on the French antiquarian market with incorrect attributions before being identified by Emanuele Zappasodi of the University for Foreigners of Siena. The acquisition was made possible through a 60,000 euro contribution via the Art Bonus program from AgriEuro, a company based in Spoleto.

The work underwent restoration in Florence to improve the legibility of the figure of the young saint. It will be on exceptional display in Room 18 of the museum from September 4 to September 6, 2026, before being moved to storage. It is expected to be featured in a spring 2027 exhibition focused on new acquisitions, which may include efforts to recompose the remaining fragments of the original ‘Pala dei Cacciatori’.