The Museum of the Ursuline Monastery

The Museum of the Ursuline Monastery is housed within the seventeenth-century Palazzo Ferrini,which is part of the monastic complex located in the historic center of Calvi dell’Umbria. Bequeathed by the Ferrini family to the community of Calvi for use as a monastery, in 1715 the noble building accommodated the first community of religious. In the mid-1700s, based on a project by the architect Ferdinando Fuga, the building was transformed to adapt it to its new function - also creating a hortus conclusus - and merged with the two churches of San Antonio Abate and Santa Brigida. After the restoration works that affected almost the entire structure, in 2002 the museum was set up, consisting of the artworks –owned by the State since the Unity of Italy - coming from the churches of the area and from the monastery itself and datable between the sixteenth and eighteenth centuries. In 2012, this museum was considerably enriched with the valuable collection donated by the Chiomenti-Vassalli family, which consists of over one hundred works including paintings and sculptures. Of the six exhibition rooms of the art gallery, one is dedicated to the paintings originally placed in local churches. Among those of particular interest, one can admire the sixteenth-century panel depicting the "Pentecost" attributed to Camillo Angelucci, "the Immaculate Conception" by Agostino Masucci and "the Martyrdom of St. Andrew" performed by the circle of Gerolamo Troppa. The "pieces" of greatest artistic value from the Chiomenti-Vassalli collection,made between the first half of the 17th century and the second half of the 18th century, are exhibited in a single room. They range from the "Parable of the Blind" by Fr. Bruegel the Younger to the "Penitent Magdalene" by Guido Reni and "Andromeda" by Francesco Furini; the other masterpieces are "The Escape of Aeneas from Troy" by Pompeo Batoni and "The View of Campo Vaccino from the Scala dell’Aracoeli" by Gaspar Van Wittel.

The museum tour includes the historic kitchens of the former convent and the monumental 16th century nativity scene - with terracotta sculptures - on permanent display in the church of Sant'Antonio Abate.

 

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