Event Location:
Museum of Musical Instruments – Galleria dell’Accademia di Firenze

The Galleria dell’Accademia di Firenze is launching the renovation of the Museum of Musical Instruments. Starting from December 10, 2024, three highly valuable and finely crafted 16th-century spinets will be displayed to the public for the first time. This marks the beginning of a project aimed at enhancing the prestigious collections of the Luigi Cherubini Conservatory of Music.

The Museum of Musical Instruments is part of the visitor itinerary of the Galleria dell’Accademia di Firenze. Established through a collaboration between the Galleria dell’Accademia and the nearby Luigi Cherubini Conservatory of Music, the museum boasts a collection of around 400 instruments dating from the 16th century to the contemporary era. Among these are highlights from the collection of the Grand Prince Ferdinando de’ Medici, including Antonio Stradivari’s tenor viola and Bartolomeo Cristofori’s ebony harpsichord, the inventor of the piano. The museum’s redesign project is inspired by Cristofori’s innovations.

A replica of Cristofori’s harpsichord, created by Kerstin Schwarz in 2009, has been relocated to the room housing Anton Domenico Gabbiani’s two large paintings of Grand Prince Ferdinando de’ Medici and his musicians. In its place, three 16th-century spinets have been installed, displayed in dialogue with Cristofori’s innovative spinet from 1690, which belongs to the Medici collection.

The spinet is a keyboard instrument with plucked strings, akin to the virginal and harpsichord. It differs from the harpsichord in its smaller size and lack of a dedicated stand, making it easily portable and suitable for domestic use. The three spinets now enriching the Museum of Musical Instruments’ exhibition path were crafted in Venice during the latter half of the 16th century.

The first is Benedetto Floriani’s six-sided spinet, the oldest signed work by this Venetian maker. Created in 1568, it is an unusual model compared to the more traditional five-sided spinet. This exquisite piece is signed and dated on the strip above the keyboard.

The second instrument, dating to around 1570, is a spinet attributed to Benedetto Floriani based on technical and stylistic considerations. Its refined decoration suggests it was likely commissioned by a wealthy patron.

The final addition is a polygonal spinet attributed to Joseph Solodiensis. It was donated to the Conservatory in 1997 by Mirella Gatti Kraus, the granddaughter of collector Alessandro Kraus. The instrument is displayed within a painted wooden case, likely original and contemporary to the spinet, adorned with floral motifs.

“The exhibition of these three 16th-century spinets is the first in a series of initiatives aimed at highlighting the uniqueness of this collection, composed of instruments of undeniable historical and aesthetic value, designed for the creation of music,” – commented Alessandra Nardi, Art Historian at the Galleria dell’Accademia di Firenze – “The relocation of Cristofori’s harpsichord replica is key, presenting an opportunity to host future musical events organized by the Museum in collaboration with the Luigi Cherubini Conservatory.”

The renewal of the Museum of Musical Instruments will continue into 2025.