The Guadagnucci Museum

In 1675, in Marina di Massa, the famous Villa Rinchiostra was transformed into a stately residence at the initiative of Teresa Pamphili, who commissioned architect Alessandro Bergamini to transform the structure a residence used for private use decorated with flowers and a fragrant citrus grove. After her, Alderano I, son of Teresa Pamphili again transformed the villa into an even more sumptuous residence through paths and marble statues in the Baroque style. Subsequently, the villa experienced a period of decay due to the Napoleonic occupation of Massa, and only in the mid-19th century did Charles Lodovic of Bourbon restore it to its splendor.

During World War II, the Villa Rinchiostra then suffered severe damage from bombing, and following the conflict the residence was rebuilt following the original design. Currently, the villa, which formerly housed the municipal library, is home to the Guadagnucci Museum, which includes collections of artworks illustrating the history of the artist who created them and of Carrara marble.

On the occasion of the centenary of artist Gigi Guadagnucci (Massa, 1915 – 2013), the Gigi Guadagnucci Museum opened to the public in 2015, following the donation of a significant nucleus of works by the artist and his wife to the City of Massa in 2012. Designed by architects Giuseppe Cannilla and Alberto Giuliani, to date the museum houses a selection of 46 works created by the artist between 1957 and 2005, and documenting his entire artistic career, focusing on the expression of sculpture and abstract yet figurative marble works. It is a virtuosity of which Guadagnucci is a master, with which he is able to work with marble and different materials such as limestone, travertine and onyx. Inside the museum, the works on display address a variety of themes that reflect the artist’s sensitivity to different areas: indeed, in his works such as Passaggio di Meteore (1973), Arioso (1966) there are references to the celestial stars, nature and eros, a theme particularly close to the writer Jean Clair. There is also no shortage of references to ancient history with the 1960 work Akhenaten, a modern retelling of the pharaoh husband of Nefertiti and father of Tutankhamun.

Gigi Guadagnucci’s decision to choose the villa as the museum’s home was a significant step taken during his lifetime. The artist saw the opening of a museum as an opportunity to transform the Villa Rinchiostra into a cultural center dedicated to contemporary arts. The choice thus reflected his vision of creating a space where his artistic production could be celebrated, observed and studied, as well as being a reference point for art in the region.

Today, the museum also offers the possibility of school visits. In this regard, the Guadagnucci space’s tour itinerary is designed to allow young people and children, to explore and interact with the museum through their senses and their own bodies. The main goal is to provide youngsters with the proper tools to understand the nature of the sculptures.

During the tour, children can therefore see the works of Gigi Guadagnucci, and in this way come into direct contact with the material and form of the work.