Tag Archives: Campania

Museo Correale di Terranova Diary

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One of my favorite experiences when I am on vacation is visiting local museums. In Sorrento I was enthralled with the variety of the impressive collections in the provincial Correale Museum (Museo Correale di Terranova), especially with the landscape paintings that portrayed Italian sites. I saw archeological artifacts, ceramics, furniture, time pieces, silver, tapestries, manuscripts, paintings from the 15th to the 19th century and porcelain in 24 halls on three floors.

Opened since 1924, the museum is housed in a superb 17th century villa with a delightful garden of tropical plants and trees. A path leads to a terrace with stunning views of the sea. From the museum itself, I was able to gaze at tranquil views of the Gulf of Naples.

Furnishings from the 17th to 20th century caught my attention, especially the pieces adorned with intarsia and mosaics. The archeology section included Greek and Roman objects and ceramics as well as artifacts from the Middle Ages.

Some of my favorite places in the world are libraries. The one at this museum contained hundreds of 17th century manuscripts and volumes dealing with many subjects, from botany to archeology to Italian history.

In the porcelain collection on the uppermost floor, I admired Oriental creations from the 17th and 18th centuries as well as Meissen and Sevres pieces. The School of Capodimonte was well-represented, too. Clocks and Italian glass hailed from the 18th century. Historical tapestries added to the museum’s impressive collection.

The paintings interested me the most. I saw works by both Flemish and other foreign artists. Two of the most renowned artists represented were Peter Paul Rubens and Camille Corot. Mannerist paintings were also displayed.

Both foreign and Italian artists created the landscape paintings. I was most impressed with the Italian works of the Posillipo School style. Hailing from the second half of the 18th century, these paintings depicted picturesque scenes inspired by foreign artists who had spent time in Naples, including William Turner. I especially liked the landscapes of cliffs and the tranquil sea dotted with row boats. Horse-drawn carriages made appearances on the shore in one painting that I had admired.

Sorrento certainly did not disappoint. This museum was just one of the highlights of my time there. The diversity of the collections was a big plus, and I was very enthusiastic to learn about the Posillipo School style.

Tracy A. Burns is a writer, proofreader and editor in Prague.

Museum of Inlaid Wood in Sorrento Diary

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I loved visiting Sorrento during the summer of 2023, and the highlight of my time there was seeing the furniture, paintings, drawings and artifacts at the Museum of Inlaid Wood, known in Italian as Museobottega della Tarsialignea or MUTA. The displays pictorially narrate the history of 19th century intarsia (inlaid wood), the objects all made by local artists who were masters at their trade. The details of the works amazed me.

I saw furniture decorated with an inlaid wood rendition of a black-and-white fluffy dog reclining in an adorable pose. Many boxes of various small sizes were decorated with intarsia. I loved the music stand adorned with a scene showing figures dancing and playing instruments on a black background with floral trim. A table depicted a scene of seated women in 19th century attire, positioned next to a columned structure that looked like it belonged in antiquity. The geometric shapes on a intarsia-decorated bench captivated me. I loved another piece of furniture that showed off a scene of three small boats in a tranquil sea. On the shore, a very steep hill was dotted with archways and structures made of geometric shapes.

Another section described life in Sorrento during the 19th century. Landscape paintings, portraits, costumes and other objects were the focus. I was especially interested in the tranquil landscapes with portrayals of the soothing sea and craggy terrain. The economy of that era is also featured in this part of the exhibition.  I read the impressions of famous artists who had visited Sorrento during that era. I got to know more about the Old Town part of the city, where the museum is located, during the 19th century through these artworks. Placing the objects made with inlaid wood in historical context was one of the many major pluses of this museum. One piece of furniture that I admired in this section was a bed adorned with inlaid wood ornamentation. The headboard was exquisite.

I also saw how such beautiful objects are made as various tools and materials utilized in this trade were on display. The technique of creating works with inlaid wood was well explained. Understanding the process made me even more appreciative of the art itself because it was so painstakingly difficult to create such beauty.

In the basement there was an intriguing collection of contemporary works with intarsia. They spoke to life during the present rather than the past by using this old technique. I saw an amazing room inlaid with intarsia, too. Contemporary-designed boxes were on display, too, showing off abstract features and brightly colored designs. An inlaid cupola was another gem. A creative sideboard consisted of an upside-down black triangle with white adornment. Frames decorated with inlaid wood and modern-looking crosses also made appearances.

I liked the sculpture of a large circular face on a dark blue and light wood background. The grey at the top of the face seemed to symbolize a small amount of hair. I saw gray circles around light wood-colored eyes that featured gray pupils. The mouth was partially red and partially gray. The lips seemed to be pursed in a blank or unreadable expression. I thought of the mechanization and impersonalization of society when I saw the gray pupils and gray circles around the eyes. There were so many ways to interpret this sculpture. It fascinated me.

Indeed, all of the works at this museum fascinated me. I was thrilled to discover a unique museum in a picturesque city punctuated by seascapes, an amazing cathedral, beautiful churches and romantic streets lined with shops and cafes. This experience took place during my first day visiting the Amalfi Coast, and my trip was off to a remarkable start.

Tracy A. Burns is a proofreader, writer and editor in Prague.

Frescoes decorated the 18th century building housing the collections.