Museum of Palazzo Pretorio in Peccioli
Among the collections on display is that of Russian Icons, from which the museum originated
Opened in 2000 as the Museum of Russian Icons, the first of its kind in Italy, the Museum of Palazzo Pretorio in Peccioli, in its renovated guise, preserves several collections, including Bigazzi's original collection. That collection, in fact, was donated by the journalist Francesco Bigazzi, for years a correspondent in Poland and Moscow: in total there are about sixty icons between the 18th and 20th centuries. To this was added in 2007 the Belvedere Spa collection, with wooden icons belonging to the Orthodox world with the peculiarity of being dated, signed or with dedication, as well as bronze crosses and polyptychs, mostly typical of the Old Believers' production. Of importance is the presence of a 15th-century baptismal cross. Finally, in 2020 Giuseppe e Paola Berger donated 51 bronze icons and one bone icon dated between the 17th and 19th centuries.
Through the donation of Vito Merlini, a collection of engravings, lithographs, xylographs and silkscreens was then added, totaling 279 pieces. On display are works by Viviani, Piacesi, Mongatti, Morena, Parigi as well as Baj, Guerricchio, Guttuso, Possenti, Annigoni, Fattori, Goya, Mirò and De Chirico.
