Angera Rocca Museum of Dolls and Children's
clothes
Since 1988, the Rocca Borromeo has housed the Doll Museum,
which is displayed in the twelve rooms of the Viscontea and Borromea wings. It
is an extraordinary collection of dolls, toys, books, dolls' furniture and table
and board games which, due to the over 1,000 pieces displayed, constitutes one
of the most important museums of its kind in Europe. There are wooden dolls from
the eighteenth century, French closed-mouth dolls, German dolls, and "bob
Caracteres" made of wax, papier-machè, porcelain, fabric, celluloid, and
plastic, illustrate the historical and cultural evolution of this quite
extraordinary object, which has always been an important protagonist of
childhood.
A new section will shortly be open to visitors, which houses an
exceptional collection of fully functioning French automatons. The museum has
well-documented didactic information, which accompanies visitors on a
fascinating journey through time to discover the fundamental gift of play.
To complete the museum, a section dedicated to children's
clothes, which bears witness to the evolution of taste in children's fashion
from the eighteenth century up until the 1950's.
Approximately two hundred items
of clothing and accessories are displayed, which are representative due to their
elegance and sartorial quality.
Lavish christening gowns, sumptuous ball gowns
with precious "white on white" embroidery, and dresses and suits for everyday
use and for special occasions recreate under the visitor's eyes, the image of a
refined childhood that was luxurious and elegant.
"...but tell me what kinds of doll you
prefer? Small dolls or big dolls? Baby dolls or dolls dressed like grown ups?
Cloth dolls, wooden dolls or..." "Dolls for loving, just dolls to love!" (Bettina Ehrlich, Dolls, 1962)
Angera Rocca Museum of Automatons
The Doll and Children's Clothes Museum is, to this day, one
of the most important exhibition areas in Europe dedicated
to dolls. As well as the prestigious items already
exhibited, in June 2002 a new section was opened, dedicated
to French and German automatons dating from the 19th and
20th centuries.
The exhibits, which are true mechanical
wonders and date from between 1870 and 1920, come from the
Petit Musèe du Costume in Tours, France and once formed part
of the famous collection belonging to Robert and Gisèle
Peschè.
The collection now belongs to the Borromeo family
and is composed not only of automatons but also a large
number of dolls, porcelain and ceramics and books and other
rare publications.
This material will soon all be put on
display in the historic rooms of the Rocca Borromeo in Angera.
The automatons exhibited are masterpieces born of
the genius of master watchmakers and the creativity of
sculptors and artisans who modelled the faces and sewed the
elegant costumes. The automatons will not fail to amaze you
with their slow and rhythmic movements, accompanied by their
music boxes playing famous arias often taken from operatic
or popular repertory.
Magical sound and light effects mark
the innovative layout of the exhibition and videos are
projected, allowing visitors to see the pieces in movement
whilst listening to their music boxes. The exhibits are
displayed in one of three thematic sections, which are
Music, the Circus and Vices and Virtues.
There is plenty of
historical and educational information available to support
the exhibit, consisting of period material such as sales
catalogues and manufacturer's publicity, which complete this
fantastic journey through a world that was the precursor of
modern technology.
"All things are artificial because
nature is the art of God."
(Thomas Browne, Of Dreams, "Religio Medici" - 1642).
How to get there:
By train: Take the Ferrovie dello Stato (National Railways)
Milano-Sempione line to the Arona station (about one hour from Milan), then catch a boat to Angera.
The lake is served by a number of boat companies offering regular
connections to all destinations, including the
Navigazione Lago Maggiore and other private companies. Connections between
Arona and Angera are very frequent.
The visit to the Rocca and the Museum takes about one hour and half.
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In Angera you can also visit the Municipal Museum of Archeology, with significant remains of
ancient archeological findings in Arona.
A new section will shortly be open to visitors, which houses an
exceptional collection of fully functioning French automatons. The museum has
well-documented didactic information, which accompanies visitors on a
fascinating journey through time to discover the fundamental gift of play.
Magical sound and light effects mark
the innovative layout of the exhibition and videos are
projected, allowing visitors to see the pieces in movement
whilst listening to their music boxes. The exhibits are
displayed in one of three thematic sections, which are
Music, the Circus and Vices and Virtues. 