The National Archaeological Museum of Naples

The National Archaeological Museum of Naples:

a historical overview and key exhibits

Tazza Farnese

The National Archaeological Museum of Naples, a globally renowned institution, has a rich and complex history. Its oldest core dates back to 1585, when it served as a Royal Cavalry barracks. Between 1610 and 1615, architect Giulio Cesare Fontana radically transformed the building into the imposing Palazzo degli Studi, which then housed the university.

It was in 1777 that King Charles III of Bourbon of Spain, recognizing the urgent need to honorably preserve the numerous archaeological finds from Vesuvian sites like Pompeii, Herculaneum, and Capua, decided to dedicate the entire Palazzo degli Studi to a museum. This led to further renovations, initiated in 1780 by Ferdinando Fuga and completed by Pompeo Schiantarelli.

By the early 19th century, the building, now known as the Real Museo Borbonico, underwent a general restructuring.

Upon the Unification of Italy, the museum became the National Archaeological Museum and largely escaped further significant alterations, even surviving World War II relatively unscathed.

However, following the 1980 Irpinia earthquake, extensive structural consolidation became necessary, sparking a major reorganization project that continued until at least 2010, with the ambition of making it potentially the world's leading archaeological museum.

The museum's vast collection of Greco-Roman sculptures, paintings, mosaics, ceramics, coins, jewelry, ivories, and goldsmith works largely derives from archaeological excavations in Campania and the integration of various private collections.

Among these, the most significant is undoubtedly the Farnese Collection, inherited by King Charles III from his mother, Elisabetta Farnese.

Masterpieces

The Tyrannicides (Kritios and Nesiotes): Roman copies (early 2nd century AD) of the original Greek bronze statues (c. 480-470 BC) depicting Harmodius and Aristogeiton, who assassinated the tyrant Hipparchus in 514 BC.

These sculptures, found in Hadrian's Villa, represent the moment before their heroic act and are notable for their compositional strategy and the early classical style.

Dancing Faun: An Hellenistic original from the late 3rd century BC, this bronze statuette was discovered in a private house in Pompeii (now known as the House of the Faun).

It depicts a faun in a lively dance pose, showcasing exceptional technical quality and anatomical rendering, suggesting it was an imported original likely from Alexandria, Egypt.

Hermes at Rest: Discovered in Herculaneum's Villa of the Papyri in 1758, this bronze statue from the 1st century BC portrays a young Hermes seated on a rock. Its relaxed posture, refined features, and specific anatomical details reflect Hellenistic models influenced by Lysippus's school, adapted to local Campanian taste.

It was highly admired, even by Winckelmann.

Statues of Runners: Two nearly life-sized bronze statues (1st century BC Roman copies of late 4th century BC Greek originals) also found in the Villa of the Papyri in Herculaneum in 1754. These depict young, nude athletes poised to start a race, illustrating a desire for realistic reproduction.

They feature detailed facial expressions with intricate eyes made of glass paste, mother-of-pearl, and lava stone.

Aphrodite of Capua: An imposing Roman copy (early 2nd century AD) of a late 4th century BC Greek bronze original, found in 1750 in the amphitheater of Santa Maria Capua Vetere. This statue portrays Aphrodite, the goddess of love, resting her foot on Ares' helmet and gazing into his shield, a popular Hellenistic motif.

Its pose highlights the interplay of weight and movement, characteristic of the period.

Farnese Tazza: Dating from around 180-160 BC, this large sardonyx agate cameo from an Alexandrian workshop is notable for its intricate carving. The exterior features a Medusa head, while the interior depicts a complex mythological scene.

This internal scene, involving Egyptian deities like Isis, Osiris, Horus, and the personification of the Nile, is interpreted as a dynastic allegory related to the Ptolemaic pharaohs, representing the abundance and prosperity of Egypt.