"Amedeo Lia" Museum

The Civic museum of ancient, medieval and modern art named after Amedeo Lia was founded in 1995 and opened in 1996 after Amedeo Lia and his family had made this important donation to the La Spezia city council. Created in a very short time, complying with the specific wishes given in the deed of donation, the museum is housed in the 17th century monastic complex belonging to the San Francesco da Paola Franciscan monks located in via Prione, which had been specially renovated and adapted to the requirements for setting up the museum.
Amongst the over one thousand one hundred works collected by Amedeo Lia and now housed in the museum one can pick out some with greater significance, indicating a tour which albeit extremely brief is sufficient to have an idea of the differing characteristics and first class quality of this collection. Entering room 1, once the church of the monastic complex, straight in front of you is the important wooden polychrome Our Lady with child, made in Umbria around about the middle of the XIII century, next to it a reliquary box painted by Jacopo da Ferentino, an extraordinary product of Umbria or Rimini art in mid XIV century. The small amethyst head-portrait from the early Imperial age and the diversified section with barbaric clasps, stand out from amongst the ancient jewellery.
An interesting collection of Gothic ivory plaques, especially those produced in France, counter the enamelled religious objects and a large section with crosses.
Room II houses a collection of miniatures comprising three complete antiphonaries, whole pages and fragments of Italian and foreign authors and then on up to room III where archaeological marble, bronze and terracotta objects are located. With the exception of the latter room, the first floor is almost entirely given over to paintings, starting from room IV, where the story of the XIII and XIV century is eminently portrayed: the Florentine paintings, with names of the calibre of Maestro della Maddalena, Giotto and his studio, Bernardo Daddi contrast with Duccio’s studio, Pietro Lorenzetti (Saint John Evangelist and Vir Dolorum), Simone Martini’s studio, Lippo Memmi, Bartolo di Fredi and Paolo di Giovanni Fei.
In the XV century (room V) the subtle transition from the middle ages to the renaissance period is narrated in paintings by Sassetta, Sano di Pietro, Matteo di Giovanni, Taddeo di Bartolo, Bicci di Lorenzo, by the Filippino Lippi and Beato Angelico schools, Francesco Botticini, Benedetto Bembo, Borgognone, Nicola di Mastrantonio, Antonio and Alvise Vivarini, Montagna and Mazone. Rooms VI, VII, VIII house the paintings of the 16th century, with works by Giampietrino, Mazzolino and Schedoni, a small painting possibly traced back to Raffaello, and again Cariani, Sebastiano del Piombo, Tintoretto, Romanino, Giovanni and Gentile Bellini, Paolo Veronese, Tiziano, Moroni and the intense Self portrait by Pontormo, painted directly onto a flat tile. The tour continues winding its way into the IX and X rooms housing the 17th and 18th century respectively, here also with an astonishing list of painters: just as an example we have the Venetian landscapes and portraits beautifully interpreted by the works of Longhi, Marieschi, Canaletto, Guardi and Bellotto. Then on and up to the next floor, where marbles and bronzes are exhibited in room XI: guarded over by the Shield bearer, perhaps a work of the young Andrea del Verrocchio or anyhow referable to one of his Roman followers. Still more sculptures and extremely refined objects in room XII, with its outstanding archaeological vitreous paste finds, starting with vases for ointments possibly dating back to the VI-V century B.C., and objects skilfully blown and modelled in Venice during the XVI, XVII and XVIII centuries; then the Head of a saint in terracotta, perhaps Lawrence, by Francesco Laurana, and the tremendously humane Our Lady of Sorrows permeated with captive grace, in terracotta painted by Benedetto da Maiano. A sort of refined room of wonders has been recently organized next to this room, where unusual precious objects consisting of rock crystals, jewellery, corals and gems are on display.
Still lifes conclude the tour in room XIII, mainly 17th century, both Flemish and Italian, the paintings by Fede Galizia, Panfilo Nuvolone, Cristoforo Munari, Andrea Belvedere, Luca Forte, Pieter Claesz and the school of Evaristo Baschenis being worthy of note.
The museum offers facilities such as guided tours in Italian, English, French and Spanish booking ahead, detailed tours, teaching activities and assistance with thesis. Each room has data sheets to help visitors coming on their own to be as self-sufficient as possible. The bookshop inside sells items related to the museum, including catalogues of individual sections and historical-artistic literature pertaining to the collections on display. A multifunctional area houses exhibitions, meetings and work-shops.