Palazzo Abatellis
Encyclopedia
Palazzo Abatellis is a palace in Palermo
, Sicily
, southern Italy
, located in the Kalsa quarter. It is home to the Galleria Regionale della Sicilia (Regional Gallery of Art).
-Catalan
architecture. It was the residence of Francesco Abatellis (or Patella), port master of the Kingdom of Sicily
.
After the death of Abatellis, it remained to his wife, and, after her death, it was given to a female monastery. Several modifications were carried on to adapt it to monastic life. They included a chapel, built on the left side of the chapel (1535–1541), hiding one of the façades. In the 18th century the construction of a bigger church (the current Santa Maria della Pietà), the chapel was abolished and divided into several rooms. The front part was used as parlatory, while the rear section was turned into a series os store, while the altar was remoed.
During the night between 16 and 17 April 1943 the palace was struck during an Allied air bombing: the loggia
, the portico, the south-western sector and the wall of the western tower crumbled down. The palace was then restored, and it was decided to use it for the Galleria d’Arte per le collezioni d’arte medievale ("Gallery of medieval collection"). Works were directed by the architects Mario Guiotto and, later, Armando Dillon. They were completed in 1953, and Carlo Scarpa was commissioned the setup of the art gallery, which was opened on 23 June 1954.
The ground floor include: 12th century wooden works, 14th and 15th century works including some by Antonello Gagini
, painted majolicas
from the 14th-17th centuries, the "Bust of Gentlewoman" by Francesco Laurana
(15th century) and painted panels of wooden ceilings. The large frescoe of the Triumph of Death (most likely dating to 1445), is exhibited in the former chapel.
At the first floor is the museum's most famous work, the Annunciation by Antonello da Messina
(15th century), considered among Italy's best Renaissance paintings. Also present are three panels with St. Augustine, St. Gregory the Great and St. Jerome by Antonello da Messina, once part of a polyptych now destroyed. Works by foreign artists include the Malvagna triptych by Jan Gossaert and the Deposition by Jan Provost, while among the Italian ones are a Moses by Pietro Novelli
.
Palermo
Palermo is a city in Southern Italy, the capital of both the autonomous region of Sicily and the Province of Palermo. The city is noted for its history, culture, architecture and gastronomy, playing an important role throughout much of its existence; it is over 2,700 years old...
, Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
, southern Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, located in the Kalsa quarter. It is home to the Galleria Regionale della Sicilia (Regional Gallery of Art).
History
The palace was designed in the 15th century by Matteo Carnelivari, at the time working in Palermo at the palazzo Aiutamicristo, and is an example of GothicGothic architecture
Gothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....
-Catalan
House of Aragon
The House of Aragon is the name given several royal houses that ruled the County, the Kingdom or the Crown of Aragon.Some historiansGuillermo Fatás y Guillermo Redondo, Alberto Montaner Frutos, Faustino Menéndez Pidal de Navascués...
architecture. It was the residence of Francesco Abatellis (or Patella), port master of the Kingdom of Sicily
Kingdom of Sicily
The Kingdom of Sicily was a state that existed in the south of Italy from its founding by Roger II in 1130 until 1816. It was a successor state of the County of Sicily, which had been founded in 1071 during the Norman conquest of southern Italy...
.
After the death of Abatellis, it remained to his wife, and, after her death, it was given to a female monastery. Several modifications were carried on to adapt it to monastic life. They included a chapel, built on the left side of the chapel (1535–1541), hiding one of the façades. In the 18th century the construction of a bigger church (the current Santa Maria della Pietà), the chapel was abolished and divided into several rooms. The front part was used as parlatory, while the rear section was turned into a series os store, while the altar was remoed.
During the night between 16 and 17 April 1943 the palace was struck during an Allied air bombing: the loggia
Loggia
Loggia is the name given to an architectural feature, originally of Minoan design. They are often a gallery or corridor at ground level, sometimes higher, on the facade of a building and open to the air on one side, where it is supported by columns or pierced openings in the wall...
, the portico, the south-western sector and the wall of the western tower crumbled down. The palace was then restored, and it was decided to use it for the Galleria d’Arte per le collezioni d’arte medievale ("Gallery of medieval collection"). Works were directed by the architects Mario Guiotto and, later, Armando Dillon. They were completed in 1953, and Carlo Scarpa was commissioned the setup of the art gallery, which was opened on 23 June 1954.
Museum
The regional gallery is home to numerous fines works, many of which acquired when several religious orders were suppressed in 1866. They were previously housed in the Pinacoteca della Regia Università and, from 1866, in Museo Nazionale of Palermo, which became a regional museum when Sicily acquired an autonomous status.The ground floor include: 12th century wooden works, 14th and 15th century works including some by Antonello Gagini
Antonello Gagini
Antonello Gagini was an Italian sculptor of the Renaissance, mainly active in Sicily and Calabria.Antonello was a member of a family of sculptors and artisans, originally from Northern Italy, but active throughout Italy, including Genoa, Florence, and Rome. The family includes his father, Domenico...
, painted majolicas
Maiolica
Maiolica is Italian tin-glazed pottery dating from the Renaissance. It is decorated in bright colours on a white background, frequently depicting historical and legendary scenes.-Name:...
from the 14th-17th centuries, the "Bust of Gentlewoman" by Francesco Laurana
Francesco Laurana
Francesco Laurana, also known as Francesco de la Vrana was a Dalmatian-born sculptor and medallist. He is considered as both Croatian and Italian sculptor.-Life and works:...
(15th century) and painted panels of wooden ceilings. The large frescoe of the Triumph of Death (most likely dating to 1445), is exhibited in the former chapel.
At the first floor is the museum's most famous work, the Annunciation by Antonello da Messina
Antonello da Messina
Antonello da Messina, properly Antonello di Giovanni di Antonio was an Italian painter from Messina, Sicily, active during the Italian Renaissance...
(15th century), considered among Italy's best Renaissance paintings. Also present are three panels with St. Augustine, St. Gregory the Great and St. Jerome by Antonello da Messina, once part of a polyptych now destroyed. Works by foreign artists include the Malvagna triptych by Jan Gossaert and the Deposition by Jan Provost, while among the Italian ones are a Moses by Pietro Novelli
Pietro Novelli
Pietro Novelli was an Italian painter of the Baroque period,active mainly in Palermo. Also known as il Monrealese or Pietro "Malta" Novelli to distinguish him from his father, Pietro Antonio Novelli....
.