CASA CALLOT

HOUSE OF CALLOT

Casa Callot (House of Callot) is a small appartment on the first floor of a Tuscan-style property. It is composed of a double bedroom with private bathroom, a living room with kitchen and an additional bathroom.

The name was chosen in tribute to a famous French engraver who was working for the Medici Court in the 17th century.

Coeval to another famous engraver, Stefano della Bella, Callot realized great engravings, inspired by religious and non-religious scenes. On the walls of the appartment, you can admire some of the most beautiful masterpieces of Callot, illustrating grotesque dwarfs (Les Gobbi), The Beggars and The Fair at Imprugneta.

In the living room, the chimney in marble streaked with yellow, is of the 19th century. On the upper part of the chimney, the Medici coat of arms is exposed whereas on the lower part, you can admire a Parisian clock of the same period.

The walls of the living room are decorated with several paintings, in addition to the Callot's engravings: a view on the Medicean harbour painted by Pietro Ciafferi; a painting by Gherardo and Giuseppe Poli (view painters of the 18th century who imitated Callot's style), and a landscape painted by a Flemish painter coeval to Callot.

Except the entrance door, the doors in the room are painted, representing dwarfs similar to the ones of the engravings. It was common before to paint comic characters and engravers, painters and sculptors often followed this habit, mixing the comic and grotesque styles, to be ironic about possible shortcomings.

The Ceramics on the bookshelf are from the 19th century and represent "Caramogi",  characters similar to the fanciful humans of Bocchi's paintings.

The apartment full of paintings and engravings, is also practical: hob, fridge, TV, dishwasher and air conditioning are available. The underfloor heating is complying with the latest energy saving standards.

In the bedroom, a piece of copper symbol of Florence, is hung in a frame above the headboard. The wardrobe of Piedmont origins is particularly interesting. In front of the bed, 21 small engravings are gathered representing dwarfs. The frontispiece of this collection is represented in ceramics in the shower of the bright bathroom.