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Non puoi paragonare questo capolavoro a un quadro qualunque.

Non puoi paragonare questo capolavoro a un quadro qualunque.
You cannot compare this masterpiece to just any painting.
From Lesson 307:Emphatic indifference (qualsiasi, qualunque)·Italian

Questions & Answers about Non puoi paragonare questo capolavoro a un quadro qualunque.

Why is qualunque placed after quadro here, instead of before it?
In Italian, placing qualunque (or qualsiasi) after the noun adds a sense of emphatic indifference or even slight dismissal. While qualunque quadro neutrally means 'any painting' (e.g., 'choose any painting'), un quadro qualunque translates better to 'just any painting' or 'an ordinary painting'. Note that when it follows the noun, you must use an indefinite article like un.
Could I use qualsiasi instead of qualunque in this sentence?
Absolutely. Qualunque and qualsiasi are completely interchangeable in this context. Saying un quadro qualsiasi would mean exactly the same thing: 'just any painting'.
Why do we use the preposition a before un quadro?
This is driven by the verb paragonare (to compare). Just like in English where we often say 'compare something to something else', Italian uses the structure paragonare qualcosa a qualcos'altro.
If I wanted to say 'to just any paintings' in the plural, does qualunque change its ending?
No, qualunque is invariable, meaning its ending never changes for gender or number. However, the noun phrase changes slightly: to make it plural, you drop the article and just say a quadri qualunque.

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