The
Guidi House, as we see it today, has the same
number of rooms and the same layout of the flat
rented in 1847 by the couple Robert Browning and
Elizabeth Barret Browning, the famous English
poets who lived in this house for several years.
Elizabeth died in it in 1861. It took two years
to the Brownings to furnish the house. Only one
or two pieces – and in particular the gilded
mirror of the dining room – are valuable
objects. The vast majority of paintings and of
the furniture pieces was purchased by Florentine
second-hand dealers, as the couple laid a strong
emphasis on simplicity and functionality.
In restoring their property, the Landmark Trust
and Eton College have attempted to preserve the
original atmosphere and avoid transforming it
into a museum. The house currently exhibits paintings
and furniture pieces that belonged both to the
Barrett and Browning, which have been generously
donated to the Guidi House. As a whole, the furniture
is a typical example of 19th century style. The
walls and ceilings of the dining room and of the
main bedroom and the ceiling of the poet's studio
have been restored with the original colours of
the time. All doors and chimney places are original.
After the death of Elizabeth, the Municipal Administration
commemorated her with an inscription hung over
the door (composed by Niccolò Tommaseo)
that acknowledges her ability to create a gold
ring joining Italy and England.
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