The Prometheus Room
Sala di Promoteo
During Medici times this room was a part of the private apartment of the grand duke, but it was often used for public functions. In fact the grand duke's council often met here in his presence.
At the beginning of the 19th century, during the brief period of French domination, the room was transformed into a new apartment for the emperor, Napoleon, in the then prevailing Neoclassical style. The decoration of the room takes its name from the subject painted on the ceiling, painted by the Sienese painter Giuseppe Collignon between 1809 and 1814. At the center we see Prometheus as he steals the divine fire, protected by Minerva and preceded in a chariot by Pheobus Apollo. The monochrome frieze below tells the story of Prometheus while the four seasons are depicted in the corners. With the creation of the new Palatine Gallery, the oldest pictures in the collection were gathered in this room. In particular, twelve circular paintings (tondos in the Florentine tradition) were inserted into new Neoclassical square frames.
At the beginning of the 19th century, during the brief period of French domination, the room was transformed into a new apartment for the emperor, Napoleon, in the then prevailing Neoclassical style. The decoration of the room takes its name from the subject painted on the ceiling, painted by the Sienese painter Giuseppe Collignon between 1809 and 1814. At the center we see Prometheus as he steals the divine fire, protected by Minerva and preceded in a chariot by Pheobus Apollo. The monochrome frieze below tells the story of Prometheus while the four seasons are depicted in the corners. With the creation of the new Palatine Gallery, the oldest pictures in the collection were gathered in this room. In particular, twelve circular paintings (tondos in the Florentine tradition) were inserted into new Neoclassical square frames.