The Tower-Wurts collection was formed as a result of purchases made by the couple George Washington Wurts (1843-1928) and Henriette Tower (1856-1933). Both were born into affluent families in Philadelphia (United States), especially Tower, and were passionate about travelling throughout Europe. Wurts had trained as a diplomat, although he never practised this profession (Fachechi, 2011). He lived in various European cities, including Madrid and St. Petersburg, before settling in what would become his favourite destination: Rome (1893). They purchased two luxurious residences (Villa Sciarra and the Antici Mattei Palace), where they amassed works of art: furniture, porcelain, sculpture, goldsmithing, and paintings, among other artistic manifestations, filled their Italian villas. In 1928, Wurts passed away, and just two years later, Tower donated the villa to the Italian state. Far from stopping there, Tower donated the entire collection, consisting of more than four thousand pieces, to the state in 1933 (Fachechi, 2011).
Bibliography
FACHECHI, Grazia Maria (2011): Museo Nazionale del Palazzo di Venezia. Sculture in legno, Gangemi Editore, Roma, pp. 18-23.
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Owned this work in the past [Early XXth c. - 1933]