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Palazzo Abatellis Marks 70 Years with Scarpa Exhibition Plans

cultural-heritage · 2026-04-26

Palazzo Abatellis in Palermo celebrates its 70th anniversary in 2024. The museum, housed in a 15th-century palace designed by Matteo Carnelivari, opened on June 23, 1954, with an installation by Carlo Scarpa. Scarpa's design is considered a masterpiece of modern museography, praised by Walter Gropius. The anniversary will culminate in a 2025 exhibition curated by Matteo Iannello, focusing on Scarpa's work, with displays by Fabio Lombardo, a former collaborator of Scarpa. A graphic project by Federico Lupo, using materials from the Scarpa archive, was presented at a conference. The museum's collections include works by Antonello da Messina, Jan Gossaert, and Francesco Laurana.

Key facts

  • Palazzo Abatellis opened as a museum on June 23, 1954.
  • Carlo Scarpa designed the museum installation.
  • Walter Gropius called it 'the best museum setting I have ever encountered.'
  • A 2025 exhibition on Scarpa's work at Abatellis is planned, curated by Matteo Iannello.
  • Fabio Lombardo, a Scarpa collaborator, will design the exhibition displays.
  • Federico Lupo created a graphic project using materials from the Scarpa archive.
  • The museum holds works by Antonello da Messina, Jan Gossaert, and Francesco Laurana.
  • The first Italian museography conference was held at the museum's opening in 1954.

Entities

Artists

  • Carlo Scarpa
  • Matteo Carnelivari
  • Antonello da Messina
  • Jan Gossaert
  • Francesco Laurana
  • Walter Gropius
  • Giulio Carlo Argan
  • Cesare Brandi
  • Jole Bovio Marconi
  • Luigi Bernabò Brea
  • Maria Accascina
  • Pietro Griffo
  • Guido Morozzi
  • Noemi Gabrielli
  • Bruno Molajoli
  • Gian Alberto Dell’Acqua
  • Matteo Iannello
  • Orietta Lanzarini
  • Fabio Lombardo
  • Tobia Scarpa
  • Roberto Calandra
  • Federico Lupo
  • Giorgio Vigni
  • Giovanni Carandente
  • Maddalena De Luca
  • Helga Marsala

Institutions

  • Palazzo Abatellis
  • Gallerie di Palazzo Abatellis
  • Soprintendenza regionale alle Gallerie e Opere d'arte
  • Soprintendenza ai Monumenti
  • Museo nazionale d'Arte Medievale e Moderna della Sicilia
  • Museo nazionale archeologico 'Antonio Salinas'
  • Pinacoteca della Regia Università
  • Palazzo Zanca
  • Università degli Studi di Udine
  • Università di Palermo
  • Palazzo Chiaramonte Steri
  • Galleria degli Uffizi
  • Gallerie Sabauda e Albertina di Torino
  • Pinacoteca di Capodimonte
  • Pinacoteca Accademia Carrara
  • Venini
  • Artribune

Locations

  • Palermo
  • Italy
  • Sicily
  • Messina
  • Vicenza
  • Tunisi
  • Giappone
  • Murano

Sources