Anna and Paola Danielli have transformed a 17th-century palazzo in the Marche region into a dynamic venue for contemporary art, music, and design.
The Bottom Line
- A 17th-century Marche palazzo now houses the permanent Collezione Danielli alongside historic architectural details like 17th-century terracotta and frescoed ceilings.
- Contemporary works by artists including Mario Airò, Luca Bertolo, Vedovamazzei, Alessandro Di Pietro, and Helena Hladilová are exhibited throughout the historic rooms and main staircase.
- The cultural initiative extends its reach through major concerts hosted at the Teatro dell’Aquila.
Historic Architecture Meets Modern Design
The palazzo features an array of preserved historical elements. These include 17th-century terracotta flooring and frescoed ceilings in the Sala Verde depicting the figure of Dante supported by a griffin.
Within this historic framework, the Danielli family has integrated the Collezione Danielli. The collection creates a deliberate contrast between classical eclecticism and modern aesthetics. 15th-century works from the Umbro-Marche school, such as the tempera on panel Testa della Vergine Maria, are paired with 19th-century blue velvet furnishings from Maison Etro.
Mario Airò Installation and Contemporary Works
Along the main staircase leading to the piano nobile, visitors encounter the newest acquisition of the Collezione Danielli. It is an installation titled Diapason #3 by artist Mario Airò.
Matilde Galletti, a contemporary art history curator and professor at the Brera Academy of Fine Arts, described the work in Ad-italia.it: «Una installazione composta da cinque elementi in ottone, alti due metri e mezzo, che richiamano la forma del diapason ma ne alterano la scala». The five brass elements evoke the luminous frequencies of gold.
Additional contemporary artworks by Luca Bertolo, Vedovamazzei, Alessandro Di Pietro, and Helena Hladilová are distributed throughout the residence’s rooms. Through these installations and large-scale concerts held at the Teatro dell’Aquila, Anna and Paola Danielli have established a platform dedicated to music and the visual arts.
