Drovetti, Bernardino |
| DIPLOMAT, LAWYER, ART COLLECTOR, ANTIQUARIAN (ITALY) |
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BORN 4 Jan 1776, Barbania, Piemonte - DIED 9 Mar 1852, Torino, Piemonte GRAVE LOCATION Torino, Piemonte: Cimitero Monumentale, Corso Novara (Sepoltura Private Ampliazone 1 Vicino All'Arco 161 Sul Passaggio verso la 3 Ampliazone (Vedi Anche Arco 274 A)) |
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Bernardino Drovetti was born in Barbania in the kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia. after his studies he joined the Hussars. They became part of Napoleon's army. In 1801 he became War minister in Piedmont and a judge in Turin. In 1803 he was sent to Egypt as a commisioner for foreign relations. There he had to deal with Ali Pasha, who represented the Turks. In 1815 he left his post, but he stayed in Egypt, where he travelled and dealt in antiquities. If he found a number of antique vases he used to destroy some of them to increase the value of the others. He also removed parts of obelisks to make transport easier. His personal collection was largely acquired by king Charles of Sicily in 1824. In 1829 he became Consul General for France in Egypt once more. He transported many works of art to Europe and this earned him status in Italy. Later they became the core of the collection of the Museo Egizio in Turin. He died in Turins in 1852 and was buried at the Cimitero Monumentale in that city. |
| Images |
 The grave of Bernardino Drovetti at the Cimitero Monumentale, Turin. Picture by Androom (28 Feb 2014) |
