Italiano
The Museum
The Emilio Greco museum was established in 1984, largely based on the collection’s donation of the Sicilian Sculptor to the city of Sabaudia. The exhibiting space, designed for the artist’s collection exposition, is located on the ground floor of the town hall and it was renovated and expanded in 2001 by Giulio Savio. The Emilio Greco Museum in Sabaudia is the first museum dedicated to the sculptor.
The idea of realizing the Emilio Greco Museum come from the Master Feliciano Iannella to whom is dedicated the Library of the City.
Initially the Museum was located inside the library , that occupied the building, where now is located the museum. Born before as collection of figurative works and then enriched by group of sculptures until the transfer in 1984 of the library in another location to let space to the museum, completed then with the donation of all the master’s works in 31 of may 2013.
The Collection
The museum’s collection , initially made up from the sculptor’s donation, was expended and enriched during the years and now day covers works since 1947 up to 1984. Among the sculptors inside the museum we can find: The Monumental Door of Orvieto Cathedral (1962), Large Bather n.1 (1956) and Maria Baldassarre (1956); while among his figurative works there are the collections dedicated to Commiated and Memories of Love.
Now day the museum exhibits more than 100 works among which drawings , etchings , lithographs, bronzes, plasters , medals , coins , sculpturs and celebrative stamps dedicated to important international events. The humans and contemporary figures, represented in the works that Emilio Greco wanted to donate to the city , symbolize eternal and universal emotions and feelings , dreamy vision and dreams inspire even to these territories.
The Monumental Door of Orvieto Cathedral
The plaster mods of the Monumental Door of Orvieto Cathedral (1962-1964) are displayed in Emilio Greco Museum in Sabaudia , portraying the Seven Works of Mercy, created with the low relief technique. The sever works are represented in seven painting: “Bury the dead”, “Feed the hungry”,”Refresh the thirsty”,”Clothe the naked”,”Shelter the
homeless”,”visit the sick” and “visit the imprisoned”. The painting was deeply criticized as it was considered unsuitable for the beautiful facade, thereby , molten in 1964, remained in the central nave of Duomo for six years.
Fortunately , the Minister o Education , Riccardo Masi, authorized its installation in 1970. The plaster molds of the door were added to the museum’s collection only later , thanks to the donation made by the author after his death. The restoration project , done by Claudio libero Pisano , was realized with the contribution of Lazio region (L.R n.27/2001 and G.D.R n.835/2018). The first restauration work was dedicated to the lower part of door in 2018, while the second to the upper part of the rest of the dettails , completed in 2020.
The Achieve
Inside the Emilio Greco Museum it is possible to look at the private achieve items of the author from his personal studio. The achieve contains photographs, prints , monographs books in Italian and in other languages , autograph projects, a wide collection of national and international press reviews and a private bibliography of the author
Emilio Greco
Emilio Greco was born in Catania on October 11, 1933. At the age of 13 , he started working as an apprentice in a construction company of a local architect in charge of monument’s restauration and creation. He first presented his work at the Circolo Artistico of Catania in 1933. In 1934 he started studying for military services.
In 1947 he moved to Rome and worked with other famous artist at Villa Massimo. The following year he became a teacher at the Artistic secondary School in Rome. In 1952 he briefly worked as supervisor at the academy of Carrara. In 1956 he became popular thanks to the Monument to pinocchio at Collodi. In 1961 he exhibited his work in different part of the world: he parteciped in a show at the Musèe Rodin in Paris , then at the Hirokjia Foundation of Tokyo and, over the same period, at the Contemporaries Gallery of New York.
Although his many travels, Emilio Greco managed to create many art pieces. Among his notable works there are : The Monument to Pope Giovanni XVIII in San Pietro in 1967 and The Monumental Doors of Orvieto Cathedral in 1970. His work was recognized world wild: in 1974 a permanent exhibit , called Greco Garden, was inaugurated at the Open Air Museum in Hakone (Japan) and between 1979 and 1980 the Pushkin Museum in Moscow and the Hermitage in Saint Petersburg dedicated a room to his scultores and figurative works. Finally, there was a large travelling exhibit in Japan in 1988. Emilio Greco spent a lot of time in the city of Sabaudia , which he loved so much that decided to donate part of his art pieces to the Museum dedicated to him, which was inaugurated by the author himself and by the President of Republic of that time , Sandro Pertin. Other museum dedicated to the author were inaugurated in Orvieto and Catania. Greco died in Rome on April 4,1995 and he is buried by his will in the cemetery of Sabaudia.
“… while i see the sea from the balcony of my house, i consider the twenty years that are passed since i wanted to put roots in this place and to enjoy of the clear vision of this beautiful nature in all of seasons. Unfortunatly, only some months of year i could filling my eyes and my soul with so much beaty, while the time fly away with cruelty, quite without realizing it …”
(from the letter that Emilio Greco wrote to Feliciano Iannella for thank him for wanting to establish the museum dedicated to him. Feliciano Iannella’s book: “the Library of Sabaudia. Twenty years of stimuli, proposals and comparison )
Visit the Museum
Museo Emilio Greco Sabaudia
Via Umberto I, n.2,04016, Sabaudia (LT)
Opening Hours
from October to May
from Tuesday to Friday : 4:00pm to 7:00pm
Saturday e Sunday 10:00am to 1:00pm and 4:00pm to 7:00pm
June and September
from Tuesday to Friday : 5:30pm to 8:30pm
Saturday e Sunday 10:00am to 1:00pm and 5:30pm to 8:30pm
July and August
from Tuesday to Friday : 7:00pm to 11:00pm
Photo Gallery
Presentation of the restoration works
conservative of the plaster tiles and the Master’s Archives:
july 2021,10