Ca' Pesaro

Facing the Grand Canal the palace was built during the second half of the XVII Century by architect Baldassarre Longhena, asked from Pesaro family, who already projected two important Venetians buildings like Cà Rezzonico and Salute Church.

They started to build the façade in 1659 and in a couple of years they reached the second floor; but when the architect died in 1682, the client committed the job to Gian Antonio Gaspari who, following the original project, finished it in 1710.

Masterpiece of the Venetian baroque architecture, Longhena took inspiration from the sansoviniana classicism, adding some new features (the façade is an example, huge but well-balanced).
Not less sumptuous is the lobby, located all the building long, which contrasts the brightness of the internal garden with its well right in the middle.
With the age the interiors lost their charm, even if we can still admire oil and wall paintings of Venetian artists like Bambini, Pittoni, Crosato, Trevisani, Brusaferro and a Tiepolo’s ceiling.

Nowadays the palace, donate by the duchess Bevilacqua to the city of Venice, hosts the Modern Art International Gallery, with works of art of Klimt, Chagall, Kandinsky, Klee, Matisse and Moore. The last floor is occupied by the Oriental Art Museum, famous all over Europe for its Edo art collection (all those pieces were collected by Francesco Borbone during the XIX century).

For more information:
www.museiciviciveneziani.it
www.arteorientale.org