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History of Palazzo Davanzati


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Palazzo Davanzati
History of the Museum The museum of Palazzo Davanzati was inaugurate in 1956 and paradoxically is the most recent of Florence state museums, despite being housed in one of the most ancient buildings in Florence. The majestic facade commands the homonymous square, where once opened several tower-houses. Palazzo Davanzi itself is the result of the unification of two tower-houses belonging to the Davizzi family.
The Davanzati family bought the palace in 1578, put their coat of arms on the facade and built the rooftop loggia. Following the tragic death of the last member of the family, Carlo, in 1838 and its transfer to collateral relatives, at the end of the 19th century the palace experimented a period of severe difficulties and became the residence of some destitute families, who divided the various rooms.
Elia Volpi, painter, restorer and antiquarian, bought Palazzo Davanzati in 1904. Not only Volpi did renovate and furnish the palace, he also transformed it into a museum: on April 24th, 1910, the "Museo della Casa Fiorentina" (Museum of Florentine House) was inaugurated.
Due to the difficult economic situation, Volpi was forced to sell by auction the furniture of the palace in 1916. The palace was then re-opened to the public in 1920,

Palazzo Davanzati
after Volpi himself had re-furnished it.

The most recent vicissitudes have not altered the character Elia Volpi impressed to Palazzo Davanzati, although only a few pieces of his collections have survived.
After having been purchased by the Italian government in 1951, in 1956 the museum was re-furnished with objects coming from other Florentine galleries or donated by Florentine antiquarians. Lately a special sector dedicated to laces and embroideries has been added.
Palazzo Davanzati was closed in the 1990s due to static problems and has been partially re-opened in 2005.

 

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