Museums
Piersanti Museum: the rooms
THE “ARAZZI” ROOM
Here you can admire seven arrases representing the story of Aeneas and Dido.
THE LIBRARY
It holds an old and valuable collection of books belonging to the Piersanti family. Here you can also appreciate an antique wedding dress dating back to the 18th century.
THE ART GALLERY
Sennen Bigiaretti, who was appointed director and curator of Piersanti Museum by the Bishop of Matelica, in 1918, compiled an inventory in which he illustrated the Palace furniture when the museum had changed thanks to the establishment of the art gallery. Here a small number of artistic objects, paintings and sculptures coming from some confraternities, churches in ruins and the Cathedral, took place.
The first hall holds some of the most important works of Marches school going back to the 13th – 15th century such as the “CROCIFISSO DI SANT'EUTIZIO” and the “TRITTICO” by the Cardinal Bishop Brancaccio.
In the second hall are placed other valuable paintings dating from the 15th – 16th century. Amongst them, you can admire the “MADONNA CON BAMBINO” by Gentile Bellini, the “ANCONETTA DI SETTE SANTI” by Giovanni Bellini and the “CROCIFISSO” by Antonio from Fabriano.
THE STILL LIFE PAINTINGS’ ROOM
Here you can appreciate four priceless still life paintings of the Neapolitan school dating back to the 18th century.
THE “MARATTESCHI” ROOM
It holds works of arts by some 17th – 18th century painters such as Pasqualino Rossi from Vicenza, Andrea Pasqualino from Recanati and Carlo Maratta that was one of the major local artists during the 18th century.
THE CURIOS’ ROOM
This is an 18th century style hall where precious things, archaeological finds, wooden and ivory objects, such as a valuable miniature of a coach, are collected and placed inside four showcases.
THE FIREPLACE ROOM
Here you can admire the only 18th century fireplace still preserved in the Palace. The room is currently furnished as an 18th century art gallery.
THE BEDROOM
It is a faithful copy of one of Palazzo Piersanti bedrooms. The walls are decorated with painted tapestry reproducing portraits of 18th century women belonging to the Piersanti family.
THE “SCARABATTOLO” ROOM
It is a gallery situated near the Family Chapel. The 18th century “Scarabattolo” is a big walnut cupboard decorated with lead-covered glasses and contains a rich collection of Oriental-style porcelain.
THE CHAPEL
Pope Benedetto XV allowed Piersanti to celebrate Mass in the chapel on the Virgin Nativity. Still today, on September the 8th the Museum is free open to the public and citizens can attend a Mass. On June the 26th 1745 the Chapel was endowed with a bell and on May the 19th 1752 the Pope granted a plenary indulgence and allowed the Exposure of the Holy Face of Christ, a copy of the original effigy housed in the Vatican.
THE PAPAL SOUVENIRS’ ROOM
It is a small room where you can admire precious objects (stoles, hats, papal vestments and cloths, the dairy of Pope Benedetto XIII and some medals) that Piersanti collected during his stay at the papal court as a Master of Ceremonies.
THE SACRESTY
It was built when the Piersanti family Chapel was opened to Matelica citizens. It holds furniture, vestments, altar cloths and priceless reliquaries commissioned to famous roman silversmiths by Piersanti during his stay in Rome.
THE SILVERWARE HALL
Here you can see some of the most valuable silver reliquaries held inside the Piersanti Palace.
THE MARBLES’ GALLERY
Here you can admire prophets’ and sibyls’ marble busts set on 18th century wooden stools painted with tempera, archaeological finds, some canvases and the Greek marble spherical clock known as “IL GLOBO DI MATELICA”.
KITCHEN
Climbing a staircase, you reach the second floor of the building, which is currently used as an exhibition area, and visit the 18th century Palace’s kitchen that has been recently restored and furnished.
THE MEETING ROOM
It is used as an educational and meeting room. The walls are embellished with genre canvases. From here you can enter and visit other two small Palace’s rooms.
THE SCULPTURES’ ROOM
It holds some little wooden sculptures and a Greek Russian cross that is made of boxwood.