In the heart of Baranello, the “Giuseppe Barone” Civic Museum represents an authentic treasure chest of artistic and historical treasures. Founded in 1896 thanks to the generosity of architect Giuseppe Barone, the museum grew out of his private collection, which he personally set up on the second floor of the then Town Hall.
The museum itinerary is spread over two rooms, housing as many as 1816 artifacts distributed in 28 elegant wooden showcases. The exhibits follow a criterion of organization that reflects the Baron’s taste and passions, offering today a fascinating view of the collecting culture of the late 19th century.
The collection is distinguished by the heterogeneity and high quality of the materials. On the walls, visitors can admire 43 paintings dating from the late 17th century to the mid-19th century. Among the works are a “Magdalene” attributed to the school of Luca Giordano, “The Ham Eater” of the Flemish school, as well as works by artists such as Pietro Ruiz, Giuseppe Tassone and Giuseppe Palizzi.
The museum also boasts an extraordinary archaeological section, including Greek vases in Corinthian and Attic pottery, both red-figure and black-painted (dating from the 6th-5th centuries B.C.), as well as antefixes, Hellenistic votive statuettes, and bronze artifacts such as fibulae and spear cusps from the ancient site of Cumae.
Alongside the archaeological finds are snuff boxes, dice, nativity figurines of fine workmanship, sacred furnishings, prehistoric siliceous weapons, ivories, crystals and small bronze sculptures. Also of great interest is the collection of majolica and porcelain: pieces from the most prestigious Italian manufactures-Naples, Florence, Venice-and international ones, such as French, Viennese, Chinese, and Japanese. The museum also preserves rare porcelain and cookies from the Royal Factories of Capodimonte, dating back to the reigns of Charles III and Ferdinand IV.
The “Giuseppe Barone” Civic Museum is not just a testament to the passion of a single collector, but a place capable of telling, through its works, stories of civilization, art and traditions spanning the centuries.