Museo Emilio Greco

The Emilio Greco Museum in Orvieto occupies rooms in Palazzo Soliano beside the cathedral. Sculpture and drawings explore the work of the artist whose bronze doors added a modern layer to the Duomo.

Why it matters

Greco's connection with Orvieto developed through the cathedral commission and his gift of works to the city. The collection places that public religious work within a broader sculptural career.

What to notice

The Lottatore and a large plaster model for the monument to John XXIII represent different aspects of Greco's treatment of the human figure. Drawings and studies add another perspective on the development of his compositions. The cathedral's bronze doors provide a related monumental work nearby.

Context and history

The doors were commissioned in 1962, delivered in 1964 and installed on 11 August 1970 after debate over the introduction of modern sculpture into the medieval monument. The central door depicts the Works of Mercy. A rearrangement in 2008 placed Greco's donated works on Palazzo Soliano's ground floor, linking the collection with the cathedral museum complex.