Photo: Sp!ros · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Gipsoteca dell'Istituto d'Arte di Porta Romana

Collection of plaster casts of the Liceo Artistico di Porta Romana in Florence, originating from the collection of moulds made by the moulders Lelli, visitable on request.

Opening hours unknown

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About the museum

The plaster-cast collection of the Istituto d’Arte in Florence, today the Liceo Artistico di Porta Romana, is among the most important collections of plaster casts in Italy, with works from the 14th to the 20th century. It originated from casts made in 1887 for the celebrations of Donatello by the moulders Angelo Giannini and Oronzio Lelli. The latter was the official moulder of the Florentine Regie Gallerie, and his collection is documented from 1875.

After him the business was continued by his sons Giuseppe and Luigi. In 1919 Luigi sold the Istituto d’Arte a collection of about two thousand moulds and casts; after lengthy negotiations the Istituto bought it and Luigi became art master and curator. The gipsoteca was officially inaugurated on 24 June 1929.

Over time the collection was enriched with new casts and moulds, and a moulding workshop that sold casts was attached to the gipsoteca, putting the school in contact with the outside world. Between the 1930s and the 1950s the plasters were displayed by artist and by period, except for the larger, immovable pieces. Today the gipsoteca holds far fewer casts than in the past and is not open to the public on a regular timetable: visits are arranged on request.