Museo di Capodimonte facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
National Museum of Capodimonte

Palace of Capodimonte
Established	1757
Location	Via Miano, 2 80131 Naples, Italy
Type	Art museum, Historic site
Visitors	193 055(2016)

The Museo di Capodimonte is a famous art museum in Naples, Italy. It's inside a beautiful old palace called the Palace of Capodimonte. This palace was built by the House of Bourbon, a royal family. The museum holds many amazing paintings and decorative art pieces, especially from Naples. You can also see important ancient Roman sculptures here. It's one of the biggest museums in Italy and first opened its doors in 1957.

A Royal History of Art

The amazing art collection at the Capodimonte Museum started way back in 1738.

Building a Palace for Art

In 1738, King Charles VII of Naples and Sicily (who later became King Charles III of Spain) wanted to build a hunting lodge. He chose the Capodimonte hill for this. But then, he changed his mind. He decided to build a huge palace instead.

One reason was that his old home, the Palace of Portici, was too small for his royal court. The main reason, though, was to keep a fantastic art collection. This collection, known as the Farnese Collection, belonged to his mother, Elisabetta Farnese. She was the last person in the ruling family of Parma.

Over many years, the palace grew bigger. More and more art was added to its rooms. In 1787, a special workshop was even set up to fix and restore paintings.

Art During Times of Change

In 1799, there was a big change in Naples called the Parthenopaean Republic. King Ferdinand IV had to leave Naples. He took the most valuable art pieces with him to Palermo.

French soldiers then took over the palace. They took many of the artworks that were left behind. Later, from 1806 to 1815, the French ruled Naples. During this time, the art collection was moved to the Naples National Archaeological Museum.

When King Ferdinand came back in 1815, he hired many artists. They helped redecorate the palace. The palace was finally finished in 1840. A new gallery was added to show modern art.

New Owners, New Art

In 1861, the palace became part of the House of Savoy. This new royal family added even more art to the collections. They also brought in a large collection of old firearms and other weapons.

In 1866, a special room called the boudoir was moved to Capodimonte. This room was made of beautiful porcelain and belonged to Maria Amalia of Saxony. In 1877, an ancient Roman marble floor was brought from a Roman villa on Capri.

After the monarchy ended, the palace officially became a national museum in 1950. Many artworks that had been moved to the National Museum were brought back home to Capodimonte.

What You Can See Inside

The museum has many different types of art. It is divided into several sections.

The National Gallery

On the first and second floors, you'll find the Galleria Nazionale (National Gallery). This part of the museum shows paintings from the 13th to the 18th centuries. You can see famous works by artists like Caravaggio, Raphael, Titian, and El Greco.

The museum is especially known for its collection of Neapolitan School paintings. These are artworks made by artists from Naples. You can see many paintings by Jusepe de Ribera and Luca Giordano, as well as other artists who followed Caravaggio's style in Naples.

Royal Apartments and Collections

The royal apartments in the palace are decorated with beautiful 18th-century furniture. You can imagine how the kings and queens lived there. There is also a collection of porcelain and majolica (a type of pottery) from different royal homes.

Ancient Roman Sculptures

A large part of the ground floor is dedicated to the amazing Farnese collection of classical sculptures. Most of these are ancient Roman statues. This collection is still mostly complete, with pieces here and at the Naples National Archaeological Museum.

Modern Art Donations

In 2022, an art dealer named Lia Rumma gave more than 70 artworks to the museum. These pieces were made by 30 important Italian artists. This donation added a touch of modern art to the museum's collection.

Collection Highlights

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  Toulouse Altarpiece by Simone Martini, around 1317

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  Crucifixion by Masaccio, around 1426

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  Portrait of Francesco Gonzaga by Andrea Mantegna, around 1461

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  Madonna and Child and Two Angels by Botticelli, around 1470

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  Transfiguration by Giovanni Bellini, around 1480

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  The Misanthrope by Pieter Bruegel the Elder, around 1568

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  Portrait of Cardinal Alessandro Farnese by Raphael, around 1509–1511

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  The Parable of the Blind Leading the Blind by Pieter Bruegel the Elder, around 1568

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  Antea by Parmigianino, around 1524–1527

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  Portrait of Galeazzo Sanvitale by Parmigianino, around 1524

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  Pope Paul III and his Grandsons by Titian, around 1546

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  Madonna and Child with Saint Peter Martyr by Lorenzo Lotto, around 1503

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  Baronci Altarpiece by Raphael, around 1500–1501

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  A Boy Blowing on an Ember to Light a Candle by El Greco, around 1570–1572

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  Portrait of Giulio Clovio by El Greco, 1571

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  Mary Magdalena by Titian, around 1550

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  The Annunciation by Titian, around 1557

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  Portrait of Pope Paul III by Titian, around 1543

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  Portrait of Cardinal Alessandro Farnese by Titian, around 1545–1546

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  Charity by Bartolomeo Schedoni, around 1611

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  Ferdinando IV and His Family by Angelica Kauffman, around 1783

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  Mystical Marriage of St. Catherine by Correggio, around 1520

See also

• List of largest art museums