GALLERIE DELL’ACCADEMIA

Description

Essentials about the Gallerie dell’Accademia in brief

Art lovers have an absolute must on a trip to Venice, and that is a visit to the Gallerie dell’Accademia. It is the city’s most important art museum and one of the most important museums of painting in all of Italy and Europe. The Accademia houses the world’s largest collection of Venetian painting from Gothic to Rococo. Every year millions of people visit the museum to admire the masterpieces of Tintoretto, Titian, Veronese and many other star artists. The Gallerie dell’Accademia is located in the Dorsoduro district on the south bank of the Grand Canal. It is connected to the other bank of the canal by the famous Ponte dell’Accademia.

The history of the Gallerie dell’Accademia

Today’s museum “Accademia” got its name from the art academy “Accademia di belle arti di Venezia”, which was founded in the same building in 1750 under the achievement of the painter Giovanni Battista Piazzetta. Under Napoleon, the Academy was transformed into the first public art school in Venice. An art collection was established for the students at the same time and opened in 1817 as the Galerie dell’Accademia, which forms the core of the present collection. The paintings came from convents and churches abandoned during secularization and from foundations and estates of private art collectors. Other paintings the museum owes to the skilful acquisition policy of its directors. In 1882 the Galerie dell’Accademia finally became an independent museum.

The collections of the Gallerie dell’Accademia

The Gallerie dell’Accademia collection is housed in three buildings: the Scuola Santa Maria della Carità, the Church of Santa Maria della Carità and the Convent of the Lateran Canons. The Scuola, founded at the beginning of the 14th century, was the oldest of the six Scuole Grandi in Venice and still preserves Titian’s monumental painting, Temple Walk of Mary, in its original location. The Church of Santa Maria della Carità was built in the mid-15th century by Bartolomeo Bon, considered the leading master builder of the Venetian late Gothic and early Renaissance. Construction of the convent had begun in 1561 under Palladio, the most important Renaissance architect in northern Italy, but remained unfinished. The devastating fire of 1630 destroyed the Palladio building except for a few remains, which are still preserved today.

In the Accademia’s rooms, visitors can expect to see the world’s largest collection of Venetian painting from Gothic to Rococo. The list of artists on display reads like a who’s who of the star artists of yesteryear. In the Gallerie dell’Accademia you can admire paintings by Bellini, Giorgione, Mantegna, Tintoretto, Titian and Veronese, among others, artists who had a significant influence on the history of European painting. In addition to paintings, which are the main focus of the exhibition, the Accademia also exhibits sculptures and drawings. One of the highlights of the collection, by the way, is the world-famous drawing Uomo vitruviano (Vitruvian Man) by Leonardo da Vinci.

Last but not least, an important practical tip for visiting the Gallerie dell’Accademia: Due to the popularity of the art museum, long queues often form at the ticket offices. Spontaneous visitors often have to expect long waits. Those who can plan their visit are therefore better off buying tickets online in advance.