Fondazione Ivan Bruschi, which recently became part of Intesa Sanpaolo's assets, is home to the eclectic collection of artworks, furniture and antiques amassed by the illustrious, Arezzo-born antiques dealer who founded the Antiques Fair.
Located in the heart of Arezzo's historic town centre, the Casa Museo Ivan Bruschi, which has been called "a place of wonders", is housed in the 14th-century Palazzo del Capitano del Popolo. The sixteen rooms spread over the building’s three floors are home to more than eight thousand pieces from all over the world – dating back to between prehistoric times to the early decades of the 20th century – including Etruscan, Greek and Roman archaeological finds, paintings, furniture, ceramics, coins, weapons, books, sculptures and jewellery.
Fondazione Ivan Bruschi is a cultural environment, which hosts temporary exhibitions, educational tours and workshops, conferences, concerts and events.
PERMANENT EXHIBITION ITINERARY
FROM PONTORMO TO FATTORI. THE ART ROOMS. MASTERPIECES COMING FROM THE INTESA SANPAOLO COLLECTIONS
From 29th. of June 2023, important works coming from the Intesa Sanpaolo Collections are going to permanently enrich the "art rooms" inside the "Ivan Bruschi House Museum".
This new permanent exhibition itinerary presents works by some of the most influential artists dating back to the 16th. and 19th. Centuries, in a renewed, reasoned and organic layout that fits perfectly enhancing the eclectic collection of the well-known antique dealer from Arezzo.
The first floor of the 14th. Century Palace where once the “Capitano del Popolo” (Captain of the people) used to live, is now hosting a selection of works made by 16th. Century masters such as “The Annunciation” by Alessandro Allori better known as “Il Bronzino”, “Leda with Castore and Clitemnestra” by Giuliano Bugiardini and the Portrait of the Cardinal “Giulio de' Medici” by Pontormo. The second floor, on the other hand, is going to be the location where a significant and worthwhile part of paintings dating back to the 19th. Century by "Giovanni Fattori", "Silvestro Lega", "Telemaco Signorini" and "Armando Spadini" together with the already present portraits by "Pietro Benvenuti" are going to be permanently displayed.
Exhibition “Tuscan Tournaments. The Saracen Joust, the Crossbow Palio and the Game of the Bridge”
From 12 September 2024 until 12 January 2025 at the Casa Museo dell'Antiquariato Ivan Bruschi is open the exhibition “Tuscan Tournaments. The Saracen Joust, the Crossbow Palio and the Game of the Bridge”, curated by Riccardo Franci, chief of armory of the Museo Stibbert. The exhibition is part of the Terre degli Uffizi program, devides by the Gallerie degli Uffizi and the Fondazione Cr Firenze in the contest of their respective Uffizi Diffusi and Piccoli Grandi Musei schemes.
Starting from the Saracen Joust, a popular event celebrated in the city of Arezzo, the exhibition sets out to document the war games with prints and paintings from different ages from the Uffizi Galleries and above with numerous examples of helmets, weapons and armor from the famous collection of the Museo Stibbert, knightly competitions, that became fashionable in the Middle Ages and continued in the Renaissance such as the Crossbow Palio and the Game of the Bridge, famous precision race and the ancient Game of the Bridge, a challenge of strength between infantrymen to conquer the Old Bridge in Pisa.