The permanent collection of the Museum of Capodimonte grew out of the complex historical, artistic and cultural events that characterised the whole territory of the South of Italy from the end of the 13th century through to the end of the 20th century.
The original core is the prestigious Farnese collection, progressively integrated by the acquisitions made first under the Borbone and Savoia dynasties and then in the 150 years that have elapsed since the Unification of Italy. The various collections are completed by a section featuring works of contemporary art created specifically for the museum: Capodimonte is unique amongst European museums for its combination of old masters and the most recent artistic exploits.
The museum's layout, stretching over three floors and occupying more than 110 rooms, enables visitors to grasp the way the permanent collection has built up. You begin from the piano nobile with the Galleria Farnese and the Appartamento Reale, followed by the second floor with the section of the arts in Naples, and then come to the third floor with the collections of 19th century paintings and contemporary art.
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The Galleria Farnese
The remarkable collection accumulated by the Farnese family was brought to Naples by Carlo di Borbone, who inherited it from his mother Elisabetta Farnese, the last in the line of the dynasty that played a leading role in the Italian Renaissance.
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The Appartamento Reale
The monumental rooms of the Appartamento Reale testify to the history of the Palazzo di Capodimonte as a prestigious royal residence. The objects on view here, ranging from furniture and tapestries to porcelain and rare items of décor, represent a chronological account of the history of the Neapolitan court, with the rulers and dynasties that succeeded one another down to the Unification of Italy.
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The Galleria Napoletana
The history of the figurative arts in Naples is illustrated on the second floor of the museum with paintings by artists from Southern Italy and by such masters as Simone Martini and Titian, who had their own creations brought to the city.
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The 19th century
Over the last fifteen years the Museum has undergone a radical refurbishment. The new exhibition space created in the former attics displays a rich selection of 19th century art, brought to Capodimonte by the rulers of the Borbone and Savoia houses and subsequent acquisitions, including some illustrious donations.
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Contemporary Art
Capodimonte is the only museum in Italy to combine a collection of old masters with a section devoted to contemporary art.
