The nicest Italian Small Museum

Opens thanks to the generosity of Alfredo Correale count of Terranova and his brother Pompeo: two brothers last descendants of the ancient family refined collectors that lived in the second half of the XIX century that wanted to give this institution the task of perpetuating the history of their family by keeping and valorising the extraordinary artistic patrimony put together duringcenturies. The most precious works of art came from the many Correale houses in Naples and Sorrento and were collected in the “Villa alla Rota” that became the home of the museum in 1924. On the ground floor in the first room, there is the tribute to the Correale family with the portraits of the founders and the family tree. Next to it, a tiny chapel with a precious 1800 miniature altar, the next room houses the historical Sorrento inlaid works of the XIX century and the archaeological and medieval sections with important finds that document the ancient origins of the historical centre of Sorrento and of some of the surrounding areas. In the hall, you may admire the large stairway with a balustrade in inlaid piperno that leads to the first floor of the historic palace. Wandering through these rooms the visitors are transported in a journey in time. You may admire paintings from the 17th and 18th century from the Neapolitan school with subjects from the religion and the history. Very rare and unusual is the painting of the game of “Biribisso”. The game table, in the refined paining of Francesco Celebrano, is divided into 70 numbered boxes that are decorated with gold ramages,
that represent miniature masks of the comedy of the art, animals and fruit. In the sumptuous white and gold lounge rich in consoles and mirrors there are the portraits of the most important predecessors. The next lounge contains many mirrors and the collection of Flemish painters between XVI and XVIII century. Precious furniture and rare oriental porcelains spread all over the rooms, recreating the warm and suggestive atmosphere of an aristocratic home.
On the second floor there are various sections: amongst beautiful consoles with shelves in rare stone and tortoise shell, you can admire fine paintings of the XVII and XVIII century and above all paintings from the famous school of Posillipo that portray images of southern Italy. Many works from A.S. Pitloo, T. Duclère, G. Gigante, F. Palizzi and many more. Distributed in the halls one can admire table clocks and pocket watches, glass from Murano Bohemia crystals, fans, silver, nativity scenes, or everyday utensils. The home is made alive, as to feel the presence of the ancient owners. The important porcelain collection that is on show on the last floor of the museum, explains the strong will of the European royal families to finance in the XVIII century the beginning of the first porcelain factories in Europe: the Correale family preferred collecting the most refined items from Meissen, Sevres, Bow, Wien and of course Capodimonte. The Correale di Terranova museum has been defined the “most beautiful provincial museum of Italy” for its incomparable natural surrounding and above all for the variety and richness of the works of art that it offers and that for centuries have belonged to the family. Amongst the paintings there are some works of art attributed to Artemisia Gentileschi, Giovanni Lanfranco, Battistello Caracciolo, Francecso de Mura, Francesco Solimena, Anton Van Dyck, JanVan Kassel, Andrea Belvedere. The Foundation also houses a library that has a very rich collection of books and an important collection of drawings by Teodor Duclère and Anton Sminch Pitloo, at present non included in the visit, but sometimes part of temporary expositions. The beautiful view that accompanies the visitor through the windows of the Villa overlooking the bay of Sorrento is only an anticipation of that offered by
the breathtaking view from the terrace that can be reached after a short walk through the lovely gardens of the Museum amongst beautiful old trees.