Anita Garibaldi’s Dress

The display of Anita Garibaldi’s dress, on loan from the National Museums of the Republic of San Marino, is a significant and distinctive event within the program that Fondazione Brescia Musei has dedicated to the figure of Giuseppe Garibaldi. This program explores Garibaldi from multiple perspectives, examining his historical role, his legacy in the visual arts, his material cult, and his presence in public memory. Following the exhibition The Expedition of the Thousand. Memory and Narrative in the Pictorial Reportage of Giuseppe Nodari and the lecture series Garibaldi. Beyond History. Icon, Myth, Narrative, the story now expands to focus on the extraordinary figure of Ana Maria de Jesus Ribeiro, known as Anita Garibaldi. Her presence is evoked through the display of the dress she left behind in July 1849 in San Marino, during the dramatic retreat toward Venice that followed the fall of the Roman Republic. Through the evocative power of this tangible testimony, the garment recalls the image of a courageous woman whose life became a symbol of active engagement and profound civic devotion. It offers an intimate glimpse into the Garibaldian epic, shedding light on its human and everyday dimensions-such as the moving solidarity Anita received from local communities during her flight. With this initiative, Fondazione Brescia Musei reaffirms its institutional commitment to fostering a meaningful dialogue between rigorous historical research and material heritage.

The booklet is available in digital format, both in English and Italian.

Th event is promoted by the Municipality of Brescia, Fondazione Brescia Musei, Alleanza Cultura, in collaboration with Museo di Stato di San Marino, with the contribution of Regione Lombardia, under the patronage of Museo Nazionale del Risorgimento Italiano.The Museum of the Risorgimento Lioness of Italy is part of the Rete dell’800 Lombardo and the display can be visited with Abbonamento Musei Lombardia.