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9-399: The villa was commissioned by admiral Ferdinand Acton in 1826 as a Neoclassical residence that would be the centerpiece of a park. The design was completed by the architect Pietro Valente . The central atrium was moved to the front of the building and Doric columns still catch the eye of the viewer from the street 50 yards (46 m) away. In the square in front of Villa Pignatelli there is

18-505: A carriage. Sir Richard, at his wife's behest, was treated by Dr. Scudéry, a homeopathic doctor, who dosed him with causticum , and Sir Richard's health improved enough for him to dine in town. Thereafter Sir Richard's fever worsened; he was dosed with nux vomica (strychnine) and aconite (wolf's bane) and died at 2am on 30 January 1837. His funeral was held at the church of St Thomas Aquinas in Paris. By 11am 600 mourners had gathered outside

27-742: The death of Acton in 1841, it was bought by Carl Mayer von Rothschild of the German family of financiers. His monogram of CR can be seen in the first floor. For a time it was used by the Jewish community of Naples for services. In 1867, it was sold to the Duke of Monteleón, Diego Pignatelli Aragona y Cortes, whose widow the Princess Rosa Fici of the Dukes of Amafi then willed it to the Italian state in 1952, with instructions that

36-738: The house and its possessions not be altered. The villa maintains the gardens in front of the building, and houses a coach museum and a collection of French and English vehicles from the 18th and 19th centuries. In 1975, the Principe Diego Aragona Pignatelli Cortés Museum and the Carriage Museum located in the northern part of the garden were inaugurated. 40°50′06″N 14°14′01″E  /  40.8349°N 14.2335°E  / 40.8349; 14.2335 Ferdinand Acton Sir Ferdinand Richard Edward Dalberg-Acton, 7th Baronet (24 July 1801 – 31 January 1837)

45-513: The house where he died and "When the funeral procession left the Hotel de Mortemart to proceed to the church of St. Thomas, all the company followed on foot the funeral car, immediately after which walked - first, the family of the deceased, then the Ambassadors of Russia, Austria, and Prussia, and most of the members of the corps diplomatique . The King, who with the rest of his family had always honoured

54-527: The monument "Il pescatore" created in bronze by the sculptor Giovanni De Martino in 1920. The statue depicts a fisherman attempting to catch a crab. The architect Guglielmo Bechi designed the interior decorations of the apartments and the marble entrance staircase. He recruited sculptors to complete the Neoclassical depiction of Alcibides and the Hounds . The property has changed hands since construction: upon

63-523: Was a British baronet . Named in honour of the King of Naples, he was known as Richard to friends and family. He was born in Palermo where his father, Sir John Acton, 6th Baronet , a former Prime Minister of Naples, had been forced to flee in 1806. His mother Mary Ann was the eldest daughter of his father's brother, General Joseph Edward Acton. He succeeded to the baronetcy upon the death of his father in 1811. He

72-588: Was educated at Westminster School and Magdalene College, Cambridge . In 1826 the Villa Pignatelli was built for him in Naples , a neo-classical residence that formed the centrepiece of a park. On 9 July 1832 he married Marie Louise Pelina von Dalberg, only surviving child of Emmerich Joseph, duc de Dalberg ; they had one child, John Emerich Edward Dalberg-Acton, 1st Baron Acton (1834–1902). Baptised Ferdinand Richard Edward Acton , on 20 December 1833 his name

81-470: Was legally changed to Ferdinand Richard Edward Dalberg-Acton by Royal Licence . On 23 January 1837 Sir Richard and his friend Lord Augustus Loftus attended a party at the Tuileries Palace. According to Loftus it was very hot indoors amidst the crush of guests and he and Sir Richard lost their carriages, servants and coats, each catching a violent cold from walking 'some distance' in the cold to look for

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