Museo Civico Giovanni Fattori (Giovanni Fattori Civic Museum), Livorno

The Giovanni Fattori Civic Museum (Museo Civico Giovanni Fattori) is Livorno's civic contemporary art museum, housed in the elegant Villa Mimbelli on San Jacopo Street in Acquaviva, just a few blocks from the Mascagni Terrace. The museum is named after Giovanni Fattori, one of the key figures of the Macchiaioli, a 19th-century Italian painting movement.

The museum's origins trace back to 1877, when the city administration decided to establish an art gallery to collect works by contemporary Italian artists, including Fattori, Enrico Pollastrini, and Cesare Bartolena. Over time, the collection expanded with contributions from artists such as Raffaello Gambogi, Silvestro Lega, and Guglielmo Micheli. By the early 20th century, the museum had also acquired archaeological artifacts and a numismatic collection.

Following Fattori's death in 1908, the museum added a significant number of his drawings and etchings, further enhancing its dedication to his legacy. During World War II, the collection was evacuated for protection, although Pollastrini’s "The Exiles of Siena" was lost to Allied bombings. After the war, the collection was temporarily housed in various locations, and new works by artists like Plinio Nomellini and Oscar Ghiglia were added.

In 1994, the museum found its permanent home in Villa Mimbelli, where the interior reflects 18th-century elegance, with frescoes by Annibale Gatti decorating the ground and first floors. These levels showcase works by Pollastrini, Micheli, Ulvi Liegi, and Mario Puccini, among others. The second floor is dedicated to Fattori and other Macchiaioli painters, including Silvestro Lega, Telemaco Signorini, and Giovanni Boldini. Post-Macchiaioli and divisionist works by artists such as Eugenio Cecconi and Benvenuto Benvenuti are also displayed.