Palazzo Zevallos Stigliano

History

The palace was commissioned by Giovanni Zevallos, Duke of Ostuni. The palace was built between 1637 and 1639 after a design by Cosimo Fanzago. The palace was damaged during the 1646 Revolution of Masaniello, and in 1653 sold to the Flemish merchant Jan van den Eynde, at the time one of the richest men in Naples. Jan van den Eynde and his son Ferdinand wholly renovated the palace, with the help of the architect-friar Bonaventura Presti.

Van den Eynde, who was also the owner of one of largest art collections in the Napoletano, filled the palace with a colossal collection of paintings, by artist such as Leonard Bramer, Giacinto Brandi, Jan van Boeckhorst, Jan Brueghel the Elder, Paul Bril, Viviano Codazzi, Aniello Falcone, Guercino, David de Haen, Pieter van Laer, Jan Miel, Cornelius van Poelenburch, Cornelis Schut, Goffredo Wals, Bartolomeo Passante, Mattia Preti, Pieter Paul Rubens, Carlo Saraceni, Massimo Stanzione, Van Dyck, Simon Vouet, Pieter de Witte and many others. Jan van den Eynde's granddaughter, Giovanna van den Eynde, daughter of the Marquess Ferdinand, married the Prince of Sonnino, Giuliano Colonna, who then inherited the palace in 1688. The palace still bears the Arms of unification of the Van den Eynde and Colonna over its gate.

Over the decades following the end of the 19th century, the palace was acquired by the Banca Commerciale Italiana, and reconstruction was pursued under architect Luigi Platania. The facade acquired its present look, and a monumental marble staircase was installed, which is surrounded by 19th century frescoes by Giuseppe Cammarano and Gennaro Maldarelli. The frescoes include Cammarano's Apotheosis of Sappho (1832). The courtyard was made into a stunning covered public hall vaulted by a glass ceiling with a floral motifs. The palace became a public museum and gallery. In 2001 Banca Intesa, became the Intesa Sanpaolo.

Collections

Among the works contained in the gallery are:

The Martyrdom of Saint Ursula by Caravaggio, thought to be his final work

Judith and Holofernes, attributed to Louis Finson, which may be a copy of a Caravaggio original

Four Veduta of Naples including Largo di Palazzo and il borgo di Chiaia da Pizzofalcone (1729) by Gaspare van der Wittel (Vanvitelli)

Urban vedute by Carlo Brancaccio, Francesco Mancini, Francesco Paolo Diodati and Vincenzo Migliaro

Four allegories of Faith (ovals, 1759) by Francesco De Mura from Sala delle Udienze of the Palazzo Monte di Pieta, Naples