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Download 1 File ILLUSTRATED GUIDE IONAL MUSEUM IN NAPLES SANCTIONED BY THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION RICHTER & CO, - NAPLES PUBLISHERS ILLUSTRATED GUIDE TO THE NATIONAL MUSEUM IN NAPLES EDITORS: G. DE PETRA, formerly Director of the Natio- nal Museum and professor at the University of Naples. A. SOGLIANO, Director of the Ex- cavations at Pompei and professor at the Univer- of sity Naples. G. PATRONI , Professor at the University of Pavie. L. MAR1ANI, Pro- fessor at the University of Pise. E. GABRICI, Director of the Coin Collection in the Natio- nal Museum. D. BASS1 , Director of the Collection of Papyri from Herculaneum. O. MARUCCHI, Director of the Egyptian Col- lection in the Vatican. A. CONT1, Director of the Picture Gallery in the National Museum. PUBLISHERS RICHTER & Co. NAPLES All rights reserved. PREFATORY NOTE This guide book is, with the exception of those pages describing the Picture Gallery, an excerpt from the ency- clopaedic Guida Illustrata del Museo Nazionale di Na- poli, approvata dal Ministero della Pubblica Istruzione, compilata da D. Bassi, E. Gabrici, L. Mariani, O. Ma- rucchi, G. Patroni, G. de Petra, A. Sogliano, per cura di A. Ruesch . The numbers preceding the several descrip- tive notes are identical with those in the Italian work referred to above. In parenthesis are quoted in many cases the numbers affixed to the various objects on the occasion of a recent inventory. For literary references and further information the student is referred to the original Italian edition. ..II..II.JI..II..II ' The National Museum. In the year 1738 the Bourbon King Charles of Naples conceived the idea of presenting the capital of his newly-acquired kingdom with a Mu- seum which should contain all the collected art treasures inherited under the Farnese bequest. At first the new building erected at Capo di Monte, afterwards used as the Royal residence, was selected; but, as fresh trea- sures continually came to light during the excavations of Herculaneum and Pompeii, it was decided to assemble all these collections, both old and new, under the same roof. For this purpose the house at the foot of the hill called Santa Teresa was chosen. It was erected in 1586, in- tended originally for the Royal Stables, but altered by the Viceroy Count Lemos (1599-1601) with the help of the architect Fontana into University buildings. As the seat of the University was now transferred to the Palace of the Jesuits (Gesii vecchiol the former stables stood empty and were available as a Museum. The gems in the various collections here exhibited belong almost to to a exclusively the Farnese bequest , the others have been added large extent either by purchase or through excavations in the Campanian towns. The bronzes on the other hand and the household utensils were found for the most part at Pompeii and Herculaneum as were the mosaics to which a considerable addition was made by the purchase of the Borgia Collection from Velletri in 1817. The papyri are all from Herculaneum. The nucleus of the picture gallery was formed by the pictures of the Farnese bequest sent from Parma to Naples. More were added from churches and sequestered monasteries while countless others came from the Borgia Collection at Velletri. A remarkable addition to this section was the bequest of the late Marchese del Vasto who left the magnificent tapestries depicting the Battle of Pavia to the Museum. The inscriptions placed in the vestibule, composed by Fiorelli, give a more complete history of the founding of the National Museum. Ground-floor The Marble Statues Most ol the marble statues in the National Museum originally came from Rome, where they had been the property ol the Farnese family, whose large collection of statues was acquired from excavations, espe- cially those of the year 1540, and was placed partly in the Palazzo Far- nese, partly in the Farnese Garden on the Palatine. When the family died out in 1731, the possessions of Elizabeth Farnese, including the col- lection, passed into the hands of her son Charles, King of Naples, and the statues were removed to that town. Those that had ornamented the Villa were also added to the Museum. Others of the statues originate from excavations made at different times in Campanian towns, especially at Pompeii, Herculaneum, Capua, Pozzuoli, Gaeta and so on, while others come from Locri. A small nucleus is formed by the Borgia collection which Giovanni Paolo Borgia had founded at Velletri in the eighteenth century and which chiefly contains objects from Oriental Greece, by the collection of the Duke of Noia and that of Caroline Murat. One part of this collection was not taken to France, but remained in Naples under the name of the Museo Palatino. Other statues have been acquired by purchase. The collection is placed on the ground floor. The entrance hall con- tains honorary statues. In the right wing the statues are arranged either from the chronological or from the topographical standpoint. In the left wing are the portrait statues. Vestibule. To the right : 1 (6397). Statue of a woman in Ionic chiton and himation, the type being derived from Praxiteles. The arms, with the attributes of the muse Euterpe or Thalia, are restored. To the left : 2 (6377). Statue of a woman in chiton and himation. The forearms, with the attributes of the muse Calliope, are restored. Entrance Hall. To the right and left of entrance : 4, 5 (2400-2401). Two cipollino columns from the Triopeum at Rome, dedicated by Herodes Atticus to the gods of the Underworld. Left Corridor : 6 (3614). Base, with dedication to the Consul L. Burbuleus Optatus by his children's nurse. 7 (5960). Colossal statue in stage costume, transformed into a Urania by mistaken restoration of the head, and hands. The left hand probably held a cithara, the right a plectrum. 8 (6787-6791). Cornice from the building of Eumachia in Pompeii. i) (1215-23). Base, with dedication to Aurelius Pylades, the pantomime actor. 10, 11 (5!H, rj<);>2). Columns of Spanish Brocatell marble. 13 (6866). Marble Basin, supported by three winged sphinxes. The Marble Statues Along the walls near the basin : 14-17 (5965, 5966, 5970, 5969). Four Toga Statues of unknown muni- cipal officers. 18 (6776). Sarcophagus. Bacchic procession, from left to right. In a chariot drawn by Centaurs is Dionysus, preceded by the Bacchic pro- cession in which the drunken Hercules figures. On the ground two mystic cistae, on the sides two griffins. Roman wholesale work. Fig. i. M. Nonius Balbus (Phot. Brogi). 20 (6168). Statue of Vicirla, mother of M. Jun. Balbus, the praetor. It resembles the so-called Herculanensis in major , now Dresden. 22 (6244). Statue of a daughter of Balbus. 23 (6211). Equestrian statue of M. Nonius Balbus, the elder. From Herculaneum. The head and right hand are restored. (Fig. i). 24 (6246). Toga statue. The head is antique, but does not belong to the body. 27 (6248). Statue of a daughter of Balbus. She is arrayed like the Ground-floor Vienna statue of Kora by Praxiteles. Her head is bent and full of life as though she were about to speak. In the hair are traces of red colour as a ground for gilding. Careful execution. 28 (6604,6605). Sarcophagus with cover in the middle of which is the tablet for the inscription. On the front of the sarcophagus are the por- traits of a man and woman, supported by three putti. Beneath these are garlands. 29. Toga statue of a man sacrificing. 30 (6394). Female statue, restored as Clio, with modern head. It re- calls the Praxitelean type of the so-called Herkulanensis minor now in Dresden. 31 (6870). Marble Basin, made like a cylix with double handles. 32 (6398). Female Statue, restored as Euterpe, perhaps the portrait of an empress in the dress of a priestess. The motive is reminiscent of the Demeter of Praxiteles. 33, 34 (5973, 5974). Column* of black porphyry. 36 (3255). Base, with dedication to the Emperor Antoninus Pius. 37 (5975). Colossal statue of a Youth. Found in the Baths of Cara- calla. The hands and left leg are restorations. He probably held an at- tribute in the left hand and is clad in a girded tunic and short mantle. The boots are high and decorated with masks. Probably intended for a Genius, perhaps that of the Roman people. 38 (121522). Base, with dedication to C. Aelius Quirinus Domitianus Gaurus. To the left of the main staircase : 39 (5976). Colossal statue of a River God, leaning his left elbow on a she-wolf and holding a cornucopia in his right hand. The left hand and the wolf are restorations, so it is uncertain whether it is intended to represent the Tiber. 40 (5977). Another similar statue. It is difficult to determine which river-god this represents, as the animal's head and the oar are resto- rations. Corridor to the right. 41 (2405). Base with Greek inscription in honour of the pugilist De- metrius of Alexandria. 42 (5978). Colossal Female Statue, found in the Baths of Caracalla and thought to be an lole, because a Hercules was found with it. It is doubtful whether the head belongs to the body. The motive is derived from Phidias, but it is late work. It is also described as a Flora or Po- mona, but a Hora or Proserpine would be a better designation. 4:S (3257). Base, with dedication to the Emperor Marcus Aurelius. 44, 45 (5979, 5980). Columns of Porto Venere marble. 47. Basin of Pavonazzetto. 48 (6083). Female Statue in chiton and mantle, the latter covering the shoulders and left arm.
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