Stibbert museum
Encyclopedia
The Stibbert Museum is located on via Frederick Stibbert on the hill of Montughi in Florence, Italy. The museum
contains over 36,000 artifacts
, including a vast collection
of armour
from Eastern and Western civilizations.
and his mother Italian; he received his education in England
. The Stibbert family's extreme wealth came from Frederick's grandfather, Giles Stibbert
, who was the commander in chief for the British East India Company
in Bengal
at the end of the 18th century and ruled as governor
for many years.
Frederick Stibbert inherited the entire estate from his grandfather and did not work for the rest of his life. Instead, he dedicated his life to collecting objects, antiques, and artifacts and turned his villa
into a museum. When the size of the collections outgrew the villa, Stibbert hired architect
Giuseppe Poggi
, painter
Gaetano Bianchi and sculptor Passaglia
to add on rooms.
In 1906, when Stibbert died, his collection was given to the city
of Florence and was opened to the public.
all of his collections from around the world. Most of the walls are covered in leather
and tapestries and the rooms are crowded with artifacts. Paintings are displayed throughout every room, including still lifes and portraits. There is also valuable furniture, porcelain
s, Tuscan
crucifixes, Etruscan
artifacts, and an outfit worn by Napoleon I of France
.
The museum contains a cafe and a bookstore.
an, Oriental, Islamic, Japan
ese arms and armour from the 15th century through the 19th century. The cavalcade
room is a grand hall filled with 14 16th century knights on horseback and 14 foot-soldiers dressed in armour and holding weapons. The collection of Samurai
armour contains over 80 suits and hundreds of swords.
Museum
A museum is an institution that cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities...
contains over 36,000 artifacts
Artifact (archaeology)
An artifact or artefact is "something made or given shape by man, such as a tool or a work of art, esp an object of archaeological interest"...
, including a vast collection
Collection (museum)
A museum is distinguished by a collection of often unique objects that forms the core of its activities for exhibitions, education, research, etc. This differentiates it from an archive or library, where the contents may be more paper-based, replaceable and less exhibition oriented...
of armour
Armour
Armour or armor is protective covering used to prevent damage from being inflicted to an object, individual or a vehicle through use of direct contact weapons or projectiles, usually during combat, or from damage caused by a potentially dangerous environment or action...
from Eastern and Western civilizations.
History of the family and museum
The museum was founded by Frederick Stibbert (1836–1906). His father was EnglishEnglish people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
and his mother Italian; he received his education in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. The Stibbert family's extreme wealth came from Frederick's grandfather, Giles Stibbert
Giles Stibbert
Lieutenant General Giles Stibbert was Commander-in-Chief, India.-Military career:Stibber arrived in India in 1756 and took part in the Battle of Plassey in 1757. He then raised a battalion of native infantry at Bankipore in 1761 and commanded them at the Siege of Patna where he was wounded in 1763...
, who was the commander in chief for the British East India Company
British East India Company
The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...
in Bengal
Bengal
Bengal is a historical and geographical region in the northeast region of the Indian Subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal. Today, it is mainly divided between the sovereign land of People's Republic of Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal, although some regions of the previous...
at the end of the 18th century and ruled as governor
Governor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
for many years.
Frederick Stibbert inherited the entire estate from his grandfather and did not work for the rest of his life. Instead, he dedicated his life to collecting objects, antiques, and artifacts and turned his villa
Villa
A villa was originally an ancient Roman upper-class country house. Since its origins in the Roman villa, the idea and function of a villa have evolved considerably. After the fall of the Roman Republic, villas became small farming compounds, which were increasingly fortified in Late Antiquity,...
into a museum. When the size of the collections outgrew the villa, Stibbert hired architect
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
Giuseppe Poggi
Giuseppe Poggi
Giuseppe Poggi was an Italian architect.A native of Florence, he received numerous commissions from the city's upper bourgeoisie for renovations of palaces and gardens....
, painter
Painting
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...
Gaetano Bianchi and sculptor Passaglia
Passaglia
Passaglia is the name of:* Carlo Passaglia , Italian Jesuit* Lui Passaglia , Canadian football player...
to add on rooms.
In 1906, when Stibbert died, his collection was given to the city
City
A city is a relatively large and permanent settlement. Although there is no agreement on how a city is distinguished from a town within general English language meanings, many cities have a particular administrative, legal, or historical status based on local law.For example, in the U.S...
of Florence and was opened to the public.
The museum
The villa, which was once Stibbert's home, has 57 rooms that exhibitExhibit
Exhibit may refer to:*Exhibit , evidence in physical form brought before the court.*Demonstrative evidence is a term used to describe exhibits and other physical forms of evidence used in court to demonstrate, show, depict, inform or teach relevant information to the viewer.*Exhibit , a lightweight...
all of his collections from around the world. Most of the walls are covered in leather
Leather
Leather is a durable and flexible material created via the tanning of putrescible animal rawhide and skin, primarily cattlehide. It can be produced through different manufacturing processes, ranging from cottage industry to heavy industry.-Forms:...
and tapestries and the rooms are crowded with artifacts. Paintings are displayed throughout every room, including still lifes and portraits. There is also valuable furniture, porcelain
Porcelain
Porcelain is a ceramic material made by heating raw materials, generally including clay in the form of kaolin, in a kiln to temperatures between and...
s, Tuscan
Tuscany
Tuscany is a region in Italy. It has an area of about 23,000 square kilometres and a population of about 3.75 million inhabitants. The regional capital is Florence ....
crucifixes, Etruscan
Etruscan society
Etruscan society is mainly known through the memorial and achievemental inscriptions on monuments of Etruscan civilization, especially tombs. This information emphasizes family data. Some contractual information is also available from various sources...
artifacts, and an outfit worn by Napoleon I of France
Napoleon I of France
Napoleon Bonaparte was a French military and political leader during the latter stages of the French Revolution.As Napoleon I, he was Emperor of the French from 1804 to 1815...
.
The museum contains a cafe and a bookstore.
Arms and armour
The most extensive collection is around 12,000 pieces of EuropeEurope
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an, Oriental, Islamic, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese arms and armour from the 15th century through the 19th century. The cavalcade
Cavalcade
Cavalcade may refer to:*Cavalcade, a horseback procession, parade, or mass trail ride*A huge parade*A huge procession*Suzuki GV1400 Cavalcade, a Suzuki luxury touring motorcycle available from 1985 to 1988 in North America...
room is a grand hall filled with 14 16th century knights on horseback and 14 foot-soldiers dressed in armour and holding weapons. The collection of Samurai
Samurai
is the term for the military nobility of pre-industrial Japan. According to translator William Scott Wilson: "In Chinese, the character 侍 was originally a verb meaning to wait upon or accompany a person in the upper ranks of society, and this is also true of the original term in Japanese, saburau...
armour contains over 80 suits and hundreds of swords.