A new museum has recently opened to the public in Ravenna: Palazzo Guiccioli is a 2,220 square meter complex that houses the Byron Museum and the Risorgimento Museum. It is a palace dating back to the end of the 16th century, belonging to the Osio family and passed in 1802 to Count Alessandro Guiccioli. In this Palace, which was purchased and restored by Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Ravenna, there are two 19th century itineraries, very important for the history of the city.
Palazzo Guiccioli, Ravenna, ph. Emanuele Rambaldi, Castrocaro, 2024, courtesy Palazzo Guiccioli
The Byron Museum, the first in Italy, tells the story of the literary production of the poet George Gordon Byron and his stay with Teresa Guiccioli, wife of Count Guiccioli, while the Risorgimento Museum on the main floor is dedicated to the birth and historical period of the Italian Risorgimento with its protagonists such as Garibaldi, Luigi Carlo Farini, Mazzini and Cavour.
Studiolo di Byron, Palazzo Guiccioli, Ravenna, ph. Emanuele Rambaldi, Castrocaro, 2024, courtesy Palazzo Guiccioli
In the Risorgimento itinerary, with about 450 objects on display including engravings, paintings, uniforms, weapons and posters, there is also an interesting section dedicated to the myth of Giuseppe Garibaldi (1807-1882) with documents, memorabilia, portraits, statues such as the sculpture portraying Garibaldi with the Cacciatori delle Alpi uniform by Vincenzo Giani and the head of Anita Garibaldi by Giannantonio Bucci. And of course curious things such as his high black boots and a precious coral bracelet belonged to Anita, clothes and red jackets from the Bettino Craxi and Giovanni Spadolini Foundations. Craxi and Spadolini, both admirers of the iconic figure of Garibaldi, collected objects, photographs and various memorabilia dedicated to the hero, including paintings, such as the posthumous portrait of Garibaldi by Antonio Ligabue.
Museo Byron, Palazzo Guiccioli, Ravenna, ph. Emanuele Rambaldi, Castrocaro, 2024, courtesy Palazzo Guiccioli
Lord Byron stayed in this noble residence in Ravenna after his Venetian period, between 1819 and 1821, to be close to Teresa Guiccioli, his last great love. Among the notable recoveries of the long restoration, there are the frescoes with gallant scenes that Byron commissioned for his study. The museum project was curated by Donatino Domini and Claudia Giuliani with a narrative path that also makes use of an intermedial apparatus with sound moments, videos and animations created by Studio Azzurro. Here in Ravenna Byron composed Don Juan, the last canto of Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage, Marino Faliero, The Two Foscari, Sardanapalus and The Prophecy of Dante. But here he also established relationships with Teresa’s brothers, who promoted republican ideals by supporting the actions of the Carbonari.
Museo del Risorgimento, Palazzo Guiccioli, Ravenna, ph. Emanuele Rambaldi, Castrocaro, 2024, courtesy Palazzo Guiccioli
Teresa Guiccioli has preserved many objects and memorabilia belonging to the poet that are now exhibited in the display cases, including a medallion with the lover’s hair, a basket for letters and notes, a travel writing desk, portraits, rings and pins depicting the poet’s face. Palazzo Guiccioli also includes a book shop and a Tavern where Lord Byron hid the Carbonari weapons, as well as the new Doll Museum – Graziella Gardini Pasini Collection, which displays two thousand dolls made from the nineteenth century onwards.
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Manuela Teatini, film maker and journalist, focuses on visual arts, in particular cinema, photography and contemporary art. She has written freelance for years with VOGUE, Uomo VOGUE, ELLE and other cinema, art and new trend magazines. She is the author and director of the docufilms “ART BACKSTAGE. La passione e lo sguardo” (2017),” MASSIMO MININI. Story of a Gallerist “(2019),” GIOVANNI BOLDINI. Il Piacere. Story of the Artist” (2021) awarded at the Terra di Siena International Film Festival 2021.
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