MUSEO BOTTEGA DELLA TARSIA LIGNEA (MUTA)

At the beginning of the 19th century, Sorrento was a stop on the grand tour of the European aristocracy. It was at this time that an art specific to the town was developed, that of marquetry. This know-how came from Nice; in fact, the first Sorrento craftsmen were trained by their colleagues from the south of France. Travellers brought back decorated furniture from the places they had visited. The fine marquetry of Sorrento's excellent craftsmen thus depicted scenes of traditional life.

This interesting museum allows the visitor to immerse himself in the Sorrento of the 19th century. The majority of the exhibits in this splendid palace date from the years 1810-1820, when the tour was in full swing. The majority of the exhibits on four floors are from the personal collection of Mr. Alessandro Fiorentino, the creator of the museum. Other themes dear to the craftsmen of that period are Pompeii and Herculaneum, which had just been discovered. From tables to beds to chests of drawers, the pieces are of unequalled finesse. The greatest masters of marquetry are grouped here; observe particularly the beauty of the work of Michele Grandeville or Luigi Gariulo and his son. On the ground floor, a room is dedicated to modern marquetry and design. Colourful and inventive, the creations vividly defend an art in full decline. The decline of marquetry is also one of the reasons for the foundation of this place.