Society for Fine Arts and Permanent Exhibition (Italian - SocietÃÂ per le Belle Arti ed Esposizione Permanente) is a moral entity and an artistic and cultural association in Milan, better known as La Permanente.
Its members have included Francesco Hayez, Antonio Rotta, Tranquillo Cremona, Daniele Ranzoni, Gaetano Previati, Emilio Longoni, Mosè Bianchi, Giuseppe Pellizza da Volpedo, Angelo Morbelli, Gerolamo Induno, Lorenzo Vela, Filippo Tommaso Marinetti, Umberto Boccioni, Barbara Pietrasanta, Mario Sironi, Leone Lodi, Achille Funi, Carlo CarrÃÂ, Francesco Messina, Attilio Rossi, Filiberto Sbardella, Trento Longaretti and Giuseppe Ajmone.
Its origins lie in the merger of the Society of Fine Arts (founded in Milan in 1844) and the Permanent Exhibition of Fine Arts (formed in Milan in 1870) and the resulting entity's foundation into a moral entity in 1883. Its cultural, non-profit character, dedicated to the promotion of the fine arts, was established by Umberto I the following year. Designed by Luca Beltrami to host art exhibitions, the society's headquarters is on via Turati (via Principe Umberto at the time it was built). It was inaugurated with an exhibition on 25 April 1886, followed by the first exhibition of members' work in 1892. Since the 19th century it has independently carried out its mission of spreading culture in Milan and its orbit as well as nationally and internationally. It organises thematic exhibitions and exhibitions of its members' works.
It held its inaugural exhibition in 1886, followed by one in 1900 dedicated to Lombard painting in the 19th century. Its palazzo was badly damaged by bombing in 1943 and at the end of the Second World War it was rebuilt to designs by Pier Giacomo and Achille Castiglioni in 1952âÂÂ1953. It then hosted a 1953 exhibition on women in art marked that postwar reconstruction, whilst one on Milan itself in 1957 clarified its relationship with the city. It has also hosted the Brera Biennial, begun in 1908, which was revived after the Second World War as the Milan National Biennial.
Over the time the society's museum was formed. Its collection consists of the purchase prizes of the Milan City Biennial, raffled works and donations from private individuals and members. Its archive is extremely important, despite the severe damage caused by Second World War bombings. It also publishes widely, particularly catalogues of its exhibitions.