In 1971, the Monturbano College was officially closed. All furniture, administrative, academic and legal documents were transferred from Savona to the Genoa-Cornigliano College, including the portraits of the Princes of the Academy. These paintings remained the property of the Piarist Fathers, except for those formally reclaimed by the rightful families of former pupils.
The collection includes eight oil-on-canvas paintings, framed in lacquered and/or gilded wood, each measuring approximately 120 x 80 cm, as well as one framed photographic portrait of about 100 x 80 cm. The portraits are as follows:
- “Marquis Carlo Faà di Bruno”, 1832
- “Marquis Giovanni Battista Borea d’Olmo”, 1847
- “Antonio Giulio Barrili”, 1851
- “Giuseppe Salomone”, 1852
- “Paolo Boselli”, 1853
- “Pietro Sbarbaro”, 1854
- “Marquis Giancarlo Pallavicini”, 1867
- “Pio of Savoy, Prince Gherardo”, 1867
plus a photographic portrait of “Luigi Einaudi”, 1888.
—————————–
The Friends of the Piarists of Savona Association, supported by the De Mari Ca.Ri.Sa. Foundation, organised a study conference to commemorate the 350th anniversary of the Piarist presence in Savona (1622–1971). It was held from 21 to 28 September 2002 at Villa Cambiaso in Savona.
The nine artworks listed above were displayed during the event, along with additional paintings provided by owners or heirs of former pupils.
To properly take part in this initiative (350th Anniversary of the Piarist Schools in Savona), the nine artworks — owned by the Ligurian Province of the Piarist Fathers based in Genoa-Cornigliano — underwent a formal administrative and conservation process, which included the following main steps:
- Notification to the Genoa Superintendence on 12 July 2002
- Request for authorisation to restore the nine artworks on 1 August 2002
- Authorisation granted by the Superintendence on 5 September 2002
- Official permit on 10 September 2002 for restoration and subsequent transfer to the exhibition
- Confirmation from the Artisanal Restoration Centre on 17 September 2002, confirming the completion of the restoration and transport to the Villa Cambiaso conference venue.
Subsequently, the Savona Society of Historical Heritage formally requested permission from the Ligurian Province of the Piarist Fathers of Genoa-Cornigliano to exhibit the nine previously mentioned works at its premises. This was done through a private loan agreement signed by both parties on 24 March 2003.
On 18 September 2017, the Ligurian Province of the Piarist Fathers made an official request for the return of the paintings to the Society.
The response, dated 10 July 2018, was a request to postpone the return of the works by the Historical Society.
On 19 November 2018, the Ligurian Province reiterated, through a formal communication, its request for the restitutionof the artworks.
Throughout 2024 and the first half of 2025, there was extensive correspondence between the Ligurian Province of the Piarist Fathers, the Savona Historical Society, and the competent Superintendence for Archaeology, Fine Arts and Landscape for the provinces of Imperia and Savona, with the aim of finalising the restitution process.
On Thursday, 19 June 2025, the transfer of the paintings was successfully carried out by a specialised company, from the headquarters of the Historical Society at Piazza Maddalena 14, Savona, to the Calasanzio Piarist College in Cornigliano, located at Via Nino Cervetto 40, Genoa-Cornigliano.
The paintings have now been placed and exhibited in a dedicated room at the Calasanzio College in Cornigliano.
Mr. Sergio Ravera
