ENGLISH * NAPLES, THE
ROYAL PALACE OF CAPODIMONTE
WE
VEER GENTLY AND NOW HEAD EAST, OUR ATTENTION DRAWN BY AN IMPOSING RECTANGULAR
BUILDING, PAINTED IN THE CHARACTEISTIC RED OF THE BOURBON PERIOD: THE
ROYAL PALACE OF CAPODIMONTE.
SURROUNDED BY AN ABUNDANT
FORESTOF LOFTY TREES, SCENICALLY DISPOSED IN VISTAS OPENING OUT LIKE A FAN,
IT IS OBVIOUS THAT THE ROYAL PALACE, WITH ITS AUSTERE PILLARS OF PIPERNO STONE,
ITS SEVERE OUTLINE AND POWERFUL STRUCTURE, IS ONE OF THE GRANDEST MONUMENTAL
BUILDINGS IN NAPLES.
IT WAS CONSTRUCTED NEXT
TO THE CELEBRATED CAPODIMONTE PORCELAIN FACTORY IN 1737, AT THE WISH OF CHARLES
III OF BOURBON, WHO INITIALLY INTENDED IT AS A HUNTING LODGE. TODAY IT HOUSES
THE NATIONAL PICTURE GALLERY, ONE OF THE MOST PRESTIGIOUS MUSEUMS IN ITALY
ON ACCOUNT OF THE QUALITY AND IMPORTANCE OF THE WORKS OF ART INCLUDED IN ITS
COLLECTION. THERE ARE WORKS BY MASACCIO, TITIAN, MANTEGNA, SIMONE MARTINI,
LORENZO LOTTO, BOTTICELLI, PARMIGIANINO,
THE FLEMISH SCHOOL, RAPHAEL,
EL
GRECO, BRUEGHEL, TIZIANO,
MICHELANGELO, SALVIATI, CARAVAGGIO
AND THE MAJOR ARTISTS BELONGING TO THE SIXTEENTH AND SEVENTEENTH CENTURY SCHOOLS
OF NEAPOLITAN PAINTING. ALSO
IMPORTANCE IS THE COLLECTION OF GREAT FOREIGN "VEDUTISTI" WITH THEIR
VIEWS OF EIGHTEENTH CENTURY NAPLES, SO ACCURATE AS TO BE OF ALMOST DOCUMENTARY
VALUE. THE SEVEN TAPESTRIES GIVEN BY CHARLES V TO THE MARQUESS OF VASTO IN
THE SIXTEENTH CENTURY AND DONATED IN TURN TO THE STATE BY THE LATTER'S DESCENDANTS
IN 1862 ARE ALSO OF CONSIDERABLE INTEREST. THEN THERE IS THE IMPORTANT COLLECTION
OF WORKS BY ALL THE ITALIAN AND FOREIGN ARTISTS WHO PRACTISED THEIR ACTIVITY
IN NAPLES, INCLUDING, IN PARTICULAR, THE FAMOUS PAINTINGS OF THE NEAPOLITAN
"POSILLIPO SCHOOL".
THE ROYAL APARTMENTS
CONTAIN PORCELAIN, BRONZES, IVORIES, MAJOLICA WARE AND ALSO A MOSAIC FLOOR
WHICH COMES FROM THE VILLA OF TIBERIUS ON CAPRI. THERE IS ALSO THE WONDERFUL
SMALL PORCELAIN DRAWING ROOM WHICH BELONGED TO THE QUEEN MARIA AMALIA. IT
WAS DESIGNED AND FITTED AT THE CAPODIMONTE PORCELAIN FACTORY ON THE ORDERS
OF CHRLES III. THEN THERE ARE THE FARNESE AND BOURBON COLLECTIONS, WITH MILITARY
AND ORNAMENTAL ARMOUR, AND COSTUMES FOR HUNTING AND HORSERIDING.
IN EVERY ROOM WE FIND FRESCOED CEILINGS
AND PRECIOUS FURNISHINGS WRITING DESKS, ARMCHAIRS, SEDANS, TABLES OF BRONZE
OR OF MARBLE, TAPESTRIES, STUCCO WORK ALL BEARING WITNESS TO AN EXQUISITE
AND HIGHLY DEVELOPED CULTURE WHICH GAINED THE ADMIRATION OF THE MOST POWERFUL
EUROPEAN COURTS.
