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Fortunato Duranti's House (Montefortino)

Fortunato Duranti's House (Montefortino)

Type
Historic building or square
Municipality
Montefortino (FM)

Source: site database.

The Casa di Fortunato Duranti in Montefortino is the family home of the artist and collector, who was born in the village on September 25, 1787. Duranti had it renovated and named it Casa delle Colonne (House of the Columns), after the neoclassical porch with columns made of blocks of pietra spugna, a porous tufa stone. The building can be seen from the outside. It stands in the historic center, not far from the Pinacoteca civica (civic art gallery) that holds the collection donated by Duranti himself.

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Points from the site database. Map © OpenStreetMap contributors · Protomaps.

History of the Fortunato Duranti's House (Casa di Fortunato Duranti)

Fortunato Duranti was born into a family of humble origins. His father, Luigi, was a shoemaker, while his mother, Maria Licini, came from the nearby village of Belmonte Piceno. While still young he left Montefortino to study, first in Cupramontana and then in Rome, where he enjoyed the protection of Cardinal Bernardino Honorati. In the capital he also worked as an antiques dealer, buying and selling works and building up a fine collection.

Later he decided to renovate his family home in the late 18th-century classical style. Around 1840 he moved back to Montefortino for good. He spent his last years in the Casa delle Colonne, in precarious financial circumstances and marked by deep melancholy and depression. From 1842 he donated his collection to the town in several stages. He died in Montefortino in 1863.

What to see at the Fortunato Duranti's House

The defining feature of the facade is the neoclassical porch, with columns carved from blocks of pietra spugna: this is where the building gets the name Casa delle Colonne. To the left of the entrance is an inscription that begins with the monogram IHS and bears the name of Luigi Duranti, the artist's father.

How to visit the Fortunato Duranti's House

The house is viewed from the outside. To learn more about Duranti, it is worth combining it with a visit to the civic art gallery named after him. Before setting out, check the museum's opening times.

Where the Fortunato Duranti's House is located

The building is in Montefortino, in the province of Fermo, a small village at the foot of the Sibillini Mountains. It stands in the historic center, not far from the Pinacoteca.

Around the Fortunato Duranti's House in Montefortino

Near the house is the Pinacoteca civica "Fortunato Duranti" in Montefortino, housed in Palazzo Leopardi, a building from the first half of the 16th century with frescoed ceilings. The museum grew out of Duranti's donation. Among the works are pieces by Perugino, as well as paintings and drawings by Duranti himself.

Other historic buildings in the area are gathered on the page on palaces and squares of the Sibillini.

Frequently asked questions

Can you go inside the Fortunato Duranti's House?

The building can be seen from the outside. Those who want to learn more about Duranti can visit the civic art gallery named after him, which holds the collection he donated to the town of Montefortino. It is advisable to check its opening times before setting out.

Why is Duranti's house called Casa delle Colonne?

The name comes from the neoclassical porch at the entrance, with columns made of blocks of pietra spugna. Fortunato Duranti built it when he renovated his family home in the late 18th-century classical style, naming it Casa delle Colonne.

Who was Fortunato Duranti?

Duranti was born in Montefortino in 1787 and was an artist, antiques dealer and collector. He studied in Cupramontana and in Rome. After returning to live in Montefortino around 1840, from 1842 he donated his collection to the town. The civic art gallery named after him is founded on that donation.

Where are the works collected by Duranti?

The works are in the Pinacoteca civica "Fortunato Duranti" in Montefortino, in Palazzo Leopardi, a 16th-century building with frescoed ceilings. The museum holds, among others, works by Perugino and paintings and drawings by Duranti himself. His birthplace stands in the historic center, not far away.

Nearby

Straight-line distances.