Why a fifteenth-century Italian room is the ultimate destination for a novelist
In short: Writer Amor Towles explores the Gubbio Studiolo, a masterpiece of Renaissance craftsmanship housed within The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Discover why this intimate space serves as a profound source of inspiration and how The Met functions as a collection of many museums in one.
The studiolo from the Ducal Palace in Gubbio, created between 1478 and 1482, stands as a highlight of The Met's European Sculpture and Decorative Arts collection. Designed by Francesco di Giorgio Martini and executed by the workshop of Giuliano and Benedetto da Maiano, the room is a complex display of marquetry using walnut, beech, rosewood, oak, and fruitwoods.
For Towles, the museum is a multifaceted landscape rather than a singular institution. The Met also preserves significant works like Hans Memling's 'The Annunciation' (c. 1465–70) and Joos van Cleve’s later interpretation of the same subject (c. 1525), illustrating the depth of the museum's holdings across different eras and artistic traditions.
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