Considered one of the most important cultural places in Sicily, which has remained perfectly preserved over the centuries, the Pharmacy Museum of Roccavaldina is composed of an ancient collection of ceramics dating back to the seventeenth century: amphorae, albarelli depicting biblical myths or episodes of Roman history. with a high neck.
Museo Farmacia Roccavaldina History
In Roccavaldina, in the province of Messina, the "Cinquecentesca Pharmacy Museum" houses one of the most beautiful pharmaceutical kits of the sixteenth century in the world and presents the visitor with an overall effect that takes your breath away.
The kit supplied to the Spezieria consists of 238 vases of various shapes and sizes made in 1580 in Urbino, in the workshop of Antonio Patanazzi.
Due to its stylistic peculiarities, this collection is a fundamental reference point for Italian ceramics from the Renaissance period.
It is believed that the vases originally exceeded 300 units but over time some have suffered breakages or have been dispersed for various reasons up to the current 238 pieces, divided into 164 small trees of various heights; 39 long-necked globular flasks; 29 pitchers; 4 apode ovoid amphorae; 2 exhibition amphorae with grotesque plastic applications.
The decoration of the vases is very interesting for polychromy and combinations. There are depicted scenes with mythological, biblical and historical subjects, all surrounded by Raphaelesque decorations.
In 1882 the suppression of religious guilds imposed on the Confraternity of SS. Sacramento to sell the "spezieria" which after various vicissitudes and a restoration which took place in Faenza in 1966/67, returned to its original location in 1968 and is kept by the Municipality of Roccavaldina which makes this masterpiece of Renaissance art still available to visitors today.