Located in the heart of Venice, between Palazzo Moro Lin and Campo San Samuele, Palazzo Grassi is a Venetian classical building created in the XVIII century facing Canale Grande. It was inaugurated in 2006 as a contemporary Museum, housing the Pinault Collection in Venice.
Let’s find out something more about Palazzo Grassi in Venice and why you should add it to your itinerary in Venice!
Palazzo Grassi’s History
Palazzo Grassi used to be owned by the Cini Family in the XVI century, it was later on bought by Cosimo I de’ Medici and then became the home of the Grassi Family. The palace was designed by Giorgio Massari in a classical style, which was and is quite in contrast with the palaces in Venice, which tend more to the Byzantine and Baroque style. The design and decoration of the building saw the participation of Michelangelo Morlaiter and Francesco Zanchi, who made the frescoes on the stairwell and artists like Giambattista Canal, who worked on the decoration of the ceilings. Palazzo Grassi is the last building that was created under the Republic of Venice. The palace was sold in 1840 and it became the property of many different people before becoming involved in the arts. In 2005 it was bought by François Pinault and it became a Museum, housing many different exhibitions.
The Exhibitions in Palazzo Grassi
As previously mentioned, Palazzo Grassi was inaugurated in 2006 and, since then, it has housed many contemporary exhibitions. Here’s a list of some of the most important ones:
- WHERE ARE WE GOING? A selection of works from the Pinault Collection, curated by Alison Gingeras (2006);
- PICASSO, LA JOIE DE VIVRE, curated by Jean-Louis Andral (2006 – 2007);
- ROME AND THE BARBARIANS, curated by Jean-Jacques Ailagon (2008);
- MADAME FISSCHER, curated by Urs Fischer (2012);
- THE ILLUSION OF LIGHT, curated by Caroline Bourgeois (2014 -2015);
- COWS BY WATER, curated by Caroline Bourgeois (2018);
- LA PELLE, curated by Luc Tuymans and Caroline Bourgeois (2019 – 2020);
Conclusion
Visiting Palazzo Grassi in Venice is one of the best ways to fully immerse yourself in history and art. If you want to get to know more about the beauty of this city and Italy in general, check out our other blogs and book a private tour with us for the best experience possible!
