The monumental complex

The complex develops around a big hall with a double loggia on the West side and external stairs which leads to the noble floor.

The Interdisciplinary Gallery

The main side is dominated by the big entrance door, which is decorated with the Patella emblem, and on the north-western side there is a big tower. Next to the building, there is another one from 1700, which was requested by the nuns of the church of Santa Maria della Pietà. The monumental complex hosts the Regional Interdisciplinary Gallery, where works coming from donations and acquisitions are kept. The most important ones are:

• the torso of Eleonora d'Aragona, which was made by Francesco Laurana, a rare work of Sicilian Renaissance;
• Trionfo della Morte, a fresco in gothic style;
• L'Annunziata by Antonello da Messina, one of the most important works of the Sicilian maestro, considered an icon of Renaissance.

 

The Gallery offers a panoramic on styles and maestros that worked in Palermo, from the XIII century to 1700. Many works of Gagini are kept here, as well as some paintings by Pietro Novelli.

Finally, there is the green room, which hosts an important work of Palermitan jewellry, "Sfera d'Oro", a big ostensory in gold, silver and diamonds. The current order of the rooms in Palazzo Abatellis comes from a collaboration between Giorgio Vigni and the Venetian architect Carlo Scarpa, during 1953-1954.

The projects

The main goal was "allowing the Palace and its content to coexist in harmony", according to a project that Scarpa was planning in Venice, while Vigni was sending some drafts from Palermo.

The exhibition was divided into sculpture on the ground floor, and paintings on the first floor, except for the fresco of Trionfo della Morte, which was located in a privileged position at the end of the old chapel.

The works

The layout of the works was revolutioned, as they were put on metal supports in order to make them stem from colorful backgrounds. In the back of the building, there are the works from 1700, with some works from the 1500 and 1600. Among the most important ones, there are the works of Pietro Novelli, Van Dyck and Luca Giordano.

History of the museum

During the night between 16 and 17 April 1943, the palace was bombed with serious consquences. The authorities decided to renew it and to turn the palace into a gallery of medieval art. The Superintendence assigned the project to the architect Mario Guiotto and then to Dillon.

The porch, the loggia and the central hall were built again, as the roof fell. Those works ended in 1953. Giorgio Vigni, the Supervisor of the Sicilian Galleries, assigned the organization of the Gallery to Carlo Scarpa. Scarpa, in those years, was working for museums, such as Uffizi and Museo Correr in Venice. The Gallery was open on June 23rd, 1954.

Opening hours and tickets

Discover more about Palazzo Abatellis here

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