The Palazzo Martelli was a residential palace, and since 2009, a civic museum displaying in situ the remains of the original family's valuable art collection, as well as its frescoed rooms. The palace is located on Via Ferdinando Zannetti 8 near the corner with Via Cerretani in central

Florence Florence ( ; ) is the capital city of the Italy, Italian region of Tuscany. It is also the most populated city in Tuscany, with 362,353 inhabitants, and 989,460 in Metropolitan City of Florence, its metropolitan province as of 2025. Florence ...

, region of

Tuscany Tuscany ( ; ) is a Regions of Italy, region in central Italy with an area of about and a population of 3,660,834 inhabitants as of 2025. The capital city is Florence. Tuscany is known for its landscapes, history, artistic legacy, and its in ...

, Italy.

History

In the place where the palace there were the old houses of the Martelli family, since the 1520s. In 1627, the area of this palace was aggregated after the marriage of Senator Marco Martelli and his cousin. Marco also acquired further buildings. Some frescoes on the main floor date to this era. The Cardinal Francesco Martelli (1633–1717) was a member of this family. In 1738, Giuseppe Maria Martelli, Archbishop of Florence and Niccolo Martelli, bailiff of Florence, unified the palaces under the designs of the architect Bernardino Ciurini. The piano nobile of the palace was decorated by frescoes by

Vincenzo Meucci Vincenzo Meucci (1694–1766) was an Italian painter of the late-Baroque period. Born in Florence. He was a pupil first of the painter Sebastiano Galeotti, then of Giovanni Gioseffo dal Sole in Bologna. He was patronized by the Marchese Giov ...

, Ferdinando Melani, Niccolò Connestabile, and Bernardo Minozzi, as well as stuccowork by Giovanni Martino Portogalli. At the end of the eighteenth century Marco, son of Niccolo, commissioned further frescoes depicting mythological and historic episodes of the family from teams led by Tommaso Gherardini, while Luigi Sabatelli decorated the vault of the staircase, where they displayed once two works attributed to

Donatello Donato di Niccolò di Betto Bardi ( – 13 December 1466), known mononymously as Donatello (; ), was an Italian Renaissance sculpture, Italian sculptor of the Renaissance period. Born in Republic of Florence, Florence, he studied classical sc ...

, a statue of ''David'' and the coat of arms of the family. The marble ''David'' statue is now displayed in the National Gallery of Art in Washington, and it is now felt to be a copy of the marble David by Donatello in the

Bargello The Bargello, also known as the or ("Palace of the People"), is a former public building and police headquarters, later a prison, in Florence, Italy. Mostly built in the 13th century, since 1865 it has housed the , a national art museum. It ...

in Florence. Large parts of the house's artworks were sold over the past two centuries. In 1986, the last Martelli resident, Francesca Martelli, willed the house to the Curia of Florence. In 1998, the Curia sold the complex to the Italian state as part of a larger deal. This allowed the collections to be opened as a museum in 2006. Even accounting for the loss and dispersal of items, the collection remains impressive, including works by

Piero di Cosimo Piero di Cosimo (2 January 1462 – 12 April 1522), also known as Piero di Lorenzo, was an Italian Renaissance painter, who continued to use an essentially Early Renaissance style into the 16th century. He is most famous for the mythologica ...

Francesco Francia __NOTOC__ Francesco Francia, whose real name was Francesco Raibolini (1447 – 5 January 1517) was an Italian painter, goldsmith, and medallist from Bologna, who was also director of the city mint.Levinson:492 He may have trained with Marco Zop ...

, Francesco Morandini,

Salvator Rosa Salvator Rosa (1615 – March 15, 1673) is best known today as an Italian Baroque painter, whose romanticized landscapes and history paintings, often set in dark and untamed nature, exerted considerable influence from the 17th century into the ...

, Giordano,

Beccafumi Domenico di Pace Beccafumi (1486May 18, 1551) was an Italian Renaissance-Mannerist Painting, painter active predominantly in Siena. He is considered one of the last undiluted representatives of the Sienese school of painting. Biography Domenico ...

, Sustermans,

Michael Sweerts Michiel Sweerts or Michael Sweerts (29 September 1618 – 1 June 1664) was a Flemish painter and printmaker of the Baroque period, who is known for his allegorical and genre paintings, portraits and tronies. The artist led an itinerant life ...

Pieter Brueghel the Younger Pieter Brueghel (also Bruegel or Breughel) the Younger ( , ; ; between 23 May and 10 October 1564 – between March and May 1638) was a Flemish painting, Flemish painter known for numerous copies after his father Pieter Bruegel the Elder's ...

Orazio Borgianni Orazio Borgianni (6 April 1574 – 14 January 1616) was an Italian painter and etcher of the Mannerist and early-Baroque periods. He was the stepbrother of the sculptor and architect Giulio Lasso. Borgianni was born in Rome, where he was docu ...

Francesco Curradi Francesco Curradi or Currado (15 November 1570 – 1661) was an Italian painter of the style described as Counter-''Maniera'' or Counter-Mannerism, born and active in Florence. Biography Curradi was the son of a jeweller, Taddeo. He trained un ...

, and collections of small bronzes, including some by Soldani Benzi. The works are displayed in the crowded arrangement typical of the period. The ground floor has a room frescoed with an illusionistic

pergola A pergola is most commonly used as an outdoor garden feature forming a shaded walkway, passageway, or sitting area of vertical posts or pillars that usually support crossbeams and a sturdy open lattice, often upon which woody vines are t ...

by Connestabile.

Gallery Rooms

Source: First Room of Gallery *Ceiling fresco (1822): ''Domenico Martelli (1414–1476), Gonfaloniere of Justice and diplomat, in 1454 granted by the Duke of Calabria (of the Anjou family), the privilege of including the

fleurs-de-lis The ''fleur-de-lis'', also spelled ''fleur-de-lys'' (plural ''fleurs-de-lis'' or ''fleurs-de-lys''), is a common heraldic charge in the ( stylized) shape of a lily (in French, and mean and respectively). Most notably, the ''fleur-de-lis ...

of France in the family coat of arms'', painted by Antonio Marini *''Portrait of Niccolò Martelli's Family in Parlor'' (1777) by Giovanni Battista Benigni *''Terracotta Bust of Ugolino di Luigi Martelli, Bishop of Narni'' (circa 1518) attributed to "Ghoro" sculptor. *''Portrait of Antonio de'Ricci'' by Francesco Morandini *''Conspiracy of Catiline sealed with libations of wine and blood'' (1662) by

Second Room of Gallery *''Festival of Lupercalia'' and ''Cult of either Vesta (or Cerealia)'' (circa 1512) by

Domenico Beccafumi Domenico di Pace Beccafumi (1486May 18, 1551) was an Italian Renaissance-Mannerist painter active predominantly in Siena. He is considered one of the last undiluted representatives of the Sienese school of painting. Biography Domenico was born ...

*''Oath of Brutus against Tarquins after Death of Lucretia'' (circa 1685) by

Luca Giordano Luca Giordano (18 October 1634 – 3 January 1705) was an Italian late-Baroque painter and printmaker in etching. Fluent and decorative, he worked successfully in Naples, Rome, Florence, and Venice, before spending a decade in Spain. Early l ...

*''Portrait of Vittoria delle Rovere as St Margaret of Antioch'' (before 1634) by

Justus Sustermans Justus Sustermans, Joost Sustermans or Suttermans, his given name Italianised to Giusto (28September 159723April 1681), was a Flemish people, Flemish painter and draughtsman who is mainly known for his portraits. He also painted history and ge ...

Third Room of Gallery *Ceiling fresco (1822): ''Roberto Martelli (1408–1464), Donatello's patron, visits the sculptor's atelier'' painted by Antonio MariniTwo of the works in the fresco are no longer in this collection: ''Coat of Arms of the Family'', now at

, and the ''Bust of the Young St. John the Baptist'', now at the National Gallery in Washington DC. *''Dance party in a Tavern'' and ''Kermesse of St George'' by

*''

Veduta A ''veduta'' (; : ''vedute'') is a highly detailed, usually large-scale painting or, more often, old master print, print of a cityscape or some other vista. The painters of ''vedute'' are referred to as ''vedutisti''. Origins This genre of land ...

of Venice'' by

Hendrik Frans van Lint Hendrik Frans van Lint (26 January 1684; 24 September 1763) was a Flemish landscape art, landscape and ''veduta, vedute'' painter who was part of the group of Flemish and Dutch painters active in Rome. He was one of the leading landscape painte ...

*''Self-portrait of Luigi Sabatelli'' (1802) *''Self-portrait of

Pietro Benvenuti Pietro Benvenuti (8 January 1769 – 3 February 1844) was an Italian Neoclassicism, Neoclassical painter. Biography Early life and education Born in Arezzo in Tuscany, he was influenced by the style of Jacques-Louis David. He was a student of ...

'' (1802) *Bronze Statuettes by

Massimiliano Soldani Benzi Massimiliano Soldani or Massimiliano Soldani Benzi (15 July 1656 – 23 February 1740) was an Italian baroque sculptor and medallist, mainly active in Florence. Born at Montevarchi, the son of a Tuscan cavalry captain, Soldani was employed by th ...

, collected by abbot Domenico Martelli (1672–1753), depicting copies of classic statues: **''Apollo playing the lyre'' **''Sansovino's Bacchus'' (but without the satyr at the base) **''Dancing Faun with cymbals'' **'' Meleager offering sacrifices to Diana'' **''

Laocoön and His Sons The statue of ''Laocoön and His Sons'', also called the Laocoön Group (), has been one of the most famous ancient sculptures since it was excavated in Rome in 1506 and put on public display in the Vatican Museums, where it remains today. The st ...

'' *Seven small boxwood sculptures (1743 -1751) by Johannes Sporer, also collected for Domenico Martelli, depicting ancient sculptures **''

Farnese Hercules The ''Farnese Hercules'' () is an ancient statue of Hercules made in the early third century AD and signed by Glykon, who is otherwise unknown; he was an Athenian but he may have worked in Rome. Like many other Ancient Roman sculptures it is a ...

'' of the National Archaeological Museum of Naples **''Red Faun'' of the Capitoline Museum **Faun or Bacchus **''

'' **''

Hermes Hermes (; ) is an Olympian deity in ancient Greek religion and mythology considered the herald of the gods. He is also widely considered the protector of human heralds, travelers, thieves, merchants, and orators. He is able to move quic ...

'' of the Pio-Clementino Museum, Rome. **''

Dying Gaul Dying is the final stage of life which will eventually lead to death. Diagnosing dying is a complex process of clinical decision-making, and most practice checklists facilitating this diagnosis are based on cancer diagnoses. Signs of dying ...

'' or Galatian and ''Dying Warrior'', both of the Capitoline Museum in Rome Room of the Poets or of Parnassus *Ceiling painted (1758) by Tommaso Gherardini *Half-Bust Portraits of Philosophers Democritus and Heraclitus (1612–1613) by

*Krater Vase depicting Martelli Villas at Soffiano and Gricigliano (early 19th-century) by Ginori Factory in the shape of Medici Vase Room of Love Ruling the World *Ceiling fresco (1847): ''Nuptial allegory, Love ruling the World with Temperance (bridle) and Legal Union (bundle)'' by Nicola Cianfanelli painted for the wedding of Alessandro Martelli (1812–1904) with Marianna Velluti Zati of the Dukes of San Clemente. *Chiaroscuro decoration by Antonio Brunetti and Leopoldo Balestieri Anteroom *''Wax Bust-Portrait of Bishop of Pistoia, Scipione de' Ricci'' by

Clemente Susini Clemente Michelangelo Susini (1754–1814) was an Italian sculptor who became renowned for his wax anatomical models, vividly and accurately depicting partly dissected corpses. These models were praised by both doctors and artists. Biography Cl ...

*''Adoration of Jesus Child'' attributed to

*''Portrait of Baccio Martelli (1511–1564)'' attributed to

Santi di Tito Santi di Tito (5 December 1536 – 25 July 1603) was one of the most influential and leading Italian painters of the proto-Baroque style – what is sometimes referred to as "Counter-Maniera" or Counter-Mannerism. Biography He was born in Sa ...

Ballroom (197–1800) *Vedute with coat of arms of Martelli-Pucci and Martelli-Ricci in room designed by architect Luca Ristorini, and painted by Piero and Antonio Miseri

Bibliography

* Francesco Lumachi, ''Firenze – Nuova guida illustrata storica-artistica-aneddotica della città e dintorni'', Firenze, Società Editrice Fiorentina, 1929 *Alessandra Civai, ''Donatello e Roberto Martelli: nuove acquisizioni documentarie'', in ''Donatello Studien, atti del convegno'', Firenze, 1986 *Alessandra Civai,
Dipinti e sculture in casa Martelli
', Opus Libri, Firenze 1990 *Alessandra Civai, ''La quadreria Martelli di Firenze. L'allestimento tardosettecentesco alla luce di un inventario figurato'', in "Studi di Storia dell'Arte", marzo, 1991, pp. 285–299 *Marcello Vannucci, ''Splendidi palazzi di Firenze'', Le Lettere, Firenze 1995 *Alessandra Civai, ''Il ''Gabinetto di Belle Arti'' di Palazzo Martelli a Firenze'', in ''Proporzioni'', I, 2000, pp. 217–240

References

External links

Palazzo Martelli Official Site

Palazzo Spinelli
Repertorio delle Architetture Civile di Firenze, entry by Claudio Paolini. {{DEFAULTSORT:Martelli Palaces in Florence Art museums and galleries in Florence National museums of Italy