The
Palace, built by the Davizzi family around mid-14th
century, was purchased in 1578 by the Davanzati
family (their coat of arms is still visible on
the façade) and remained in their possession
until 1838, when it was divided into several flats
and suffered severe damage.
In 1904 it was purchased and restored by the antique
dealer Elia Volpi, who entirely furnished it and
opened it to the public in 1910 as Museum of the
Old Florentine House. After alternate events,
which comprised also the dispersion of the furniture
pieces, the palace was purchased in 1951 by the
State that reorganised it and opened it once more
to the public in 1956.
Its most important feature is the architectural
structure that represents an interesting example
of 13th century home showing the transition stage
from the medieval tower house to the Renaissance
building. The original façade was decorated
with a three-arch loggia, now closed that was
once open and used as a shop. A 16th century loggia
replaces the usual medieval battlements at the
top of the building.
The interior, which also has an underground gallery,
has a suggestive courtyard on the ground floor
that gives access to the stone and wood staircase
with rampant arches leading up to the four upper
floors. The arrangement of the building shows
that the rooms of the first floor have the same
layout of those on the third floor. Rooms are
articulated in a “madornale”, that
is a large audience hall, dining rooms, bedrooms
and “agiamenti” (toilets), a rarity
in elegant houses of the period. All the rooms
have floors in cotto and ceilings in wood, some
of which decorated with paintings. The walls of
some of the rooms are decorated with frescoes
and decorations that are quite popular in Florentine
13th century homes, representing curtains and
coat of arms. The most beautiful rooms are the
Sala dei Pappagalli (The Parrot Room) and the
Bedroom with scenes of the life of the Lady of
Vergi.
The present arrangement of the Museum aims at
reconstructing the setting of an old Florentine
home, with furniture and household tools from
the 14th to the 19th centuries. Bedrooms display
for instance chests full of linen and cots, while
the audience hall on the first floor exhibits
a rare painted cabinet, created by a Siennese
artist of the 16th century, and the wooden painting
showing The Game of Civettino by Giovanni di Ser
Giovanni nicknamed “Scheggia” dating
back to the 15th century and the marble bust of
a Child by Antonio Rossellino, also dating back
to the 15th century.
The museum also preserves a very fine collection
of old ceramics and the 17th century hand warmers
in the shape of shoes.
A very important document in the story of the
family and palace is the Genealogical tree of
the Davanzati family, a work by an anonymous Tuscan
painter of the 17th century. The State has recently
purchased a rare wooden chest or “throne-bed”
with inlaid front and headboard, manufactured
in the Tuscan-Umbran area during the last quarter
of the 15th century.
The kitchen on third floor exhibits furniture
and ordinary daily household, together with working
tools, like looms, warping machines and spinning
wheels that document some of the activities carried
out in the house.
The Museum also displays a very fine collection
of lacework ranging from the 16th to the 20th
centuries and samplers.
At present, the Museum is closed for restoration
work. After its re-opening it will be partially
accessible to disabled people.
