Museo Diocesano and Galleria del Tiepolo

The "Museo Diocesano e Gallerie del Tiepolo" (Diocesan Museum and Tiepolo Galleries) has been housed in the Palazzo Patriarcale (Patriarch's Palace) in Udine since 29 April 1995. The eighteenth century Palazzo that also has roots in the Fifteenth century was the residence of the Patriarchs of Aquileia from 1593 to 1751 and today is home to the archbishop.

The collection houses around 700 works, including Giambattista Tiepolo's eighteenth century frescoes that decorate the ceiling above the Scalone d'onore (Staircase of Honour), the Galleria degli ospiti (guests' Gallery) and the Sala rossa (Red room) created on the wishes of the then patriarch, Dionisio Dolfin.

Tiepolo started by decorating the ceiling above the Scalone d'onore (Stairway of honour). The "Caduta degli Angeli ribelli" (Fall of Rebel Angels) fresco dates back to 1726 and is a work of illusionism, once again baroque, surrounded by eight monochromes depicting episodes from Genesis.

It is with this fresco that Tiepolo started collaborating with the patriarch Dolfin and continued with the decoration of the galleria degli ospiti (guests' gallery) on the noble floor. The narration includes some of the most significant stages for the patriarch Dionisio of the three biblical figures: Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. The central panel hosts the fresco of "Rachele che nasconde gli idoli" (Rachel hiding the idols), a highly fascinating work where we can perhaps identify a portrait of Giambattista Tiepolo and possibly that of his son Giandomenico and wife Cecilia.

Lastly Tiepolo frescoed the ceiling in the Sala rossa (Red room) representing the "Il Giudizio di Salomone" (Judgement of Solomon) (1729) thus proving his technical and perspective ability , showing the colourful King's court and the dramatic scene of a threat by an assassin.

In the diocesan museum there are also remarkable works by Giovanni da Udine, by Palma Junior, etc. One entire floor is dedicated to wooden sculptures, chronologically arranged from the 12th to the 18th century, that represents the best artistic expression of sacred art in Friuli.

Worthy of mention for its great artistic prestige is the Patriarch Delfino's, the first public library in Udine, where valuable books are preserved - illuminated codes, incunables and rare first editions.