The Horne Museum in Florence is named after the Englishman Herbert Percy Horne who left his private collection of Renaissance works of art to the city after his death. From household items to paintings by Giotto.
Horne Museum Florence
Address, opening hours and entrance fee
The address of the Museo Horne is via dei Benci, 6 – 50122 Firenze (tel. +39 055). Bus: 23, C. The entrance fee is 7 Euro (discount 5 Euro). Opening hours: From 09.00 to 13.00 hours. Sundays and holidays closed.
History Horne Museum Florence
The Museo Horne is housed in the 15th century Palazzo Corsi. The building is an attempt at recreating a typical palace of a well-to-do Renaissance family. The architect of the palazzo was Cronaca.
Horne (1864-1916) was a London-born Englishman who spent much of his life in Florence. He wanted to create a typical Florentine home for himself by purchasing household items and furniture from the city itself.
Most of the Horne Museum‘s collection of paintings consists of lesser known (and often less important) works by famous artists such as Giotto and Filippino Lippi.
Most of the artists represented come from the Florentine and Sienese schools, such as Pietro Lorenzetti, Simone Martini and Domenico Beccafumi. Sculptors are represented by Bernini, Giambologna and Desiderio da Settignano.
Highlights Horne Museum
Giotto‘s “Santo Stefano”
Beccafumi‘s tondo “Holy Family”.
The “Santa Caterina of Alessandria” by Luca Signorelli (1512).
Bernini‘s sculpture “Angels in Glory” can be admired.
There is an extensive collection of ceramics from Orvieto, Urbino and Cafaggiolo, among others.
The household items Horne collected included silver and ivory cutlery, as well as leather boxes, but also small and seemingly insignifcant objects such as needles.