Page 342 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Rome

340  TR A VELERS ’ NEEDS

Art and Antiques Slightly farther away is Via
della Stelletta, which is home
Rome’s art and antiques shops range from exclusive to a handful of unusual, and
establishments to contemporary art galleries. In response fascinating, shops. Arte Antica
to a fashion for collecting early-20th-century artifacts, new Rufini is an antiques dealer
dealers and galleries are springing up throughout Rome – selling an eclectic mix of
furniture, paintings, jewelry,
Venini’s Murano glass is popular, as are lighting and furniture. prints, and objets d’art.
Many more sell general bric-a-brac and jewelry. Copies of Bilenchi is yet another
antique prints can be picked up for a fraction of the original’s specialist, this time in exquisite,
price. Rome is not good for antique bargains, but it is worth early 20th-century lamps.
looking in shops along Via dei Cappellari and Via del Pellegrino Another relatively undiscov-
or going to the Porta Portese Sunday market (see p345). ered area is the one around
Via del Boschetto and Via
Panisperna. Shops around
here tend to specialize in early
Antiques and Old med ieval to the Neo-Classical 20th-century artifacts, with
Master Paintings
periods. Nearby, M Simotti- some English Victorian pieces
There are antiques shops Rocchi stocks Greek and thrown in.
dotted all over the center of Roman statuary, as well as Of course there are many
Rome, though the cream of the more luggage-friendly coins perennial favorites aside from
crop tend to be concentrated in and figurines. these streets. The best way
distinct areas. Discreet haggling Via Giulia (see p155) has many to discover them is through
in the shops is accepted high-quality antiques shops to word of mouth or just by
practice, but even if you get a choose from. Definitely worth a chance as you stroll along.
reduction in price, make sure visit is Antiquariato Valligiano. Antichità Carnovale is a shop
the dealer provides you with This is the only place in Rome full of interesting 19th- and
the relevant export documents. where you can find 19th-century 20th-century canvases, while
The famous Via del Babuino, Italian country furniture, a rustic Agostini is one of the oldest
and to a lesser extent Via antidote for those overpowered antiques shops in Rome, and
Margutta, which is better by the grandiose Baroque. definitely one of the largest. It
known for its art galleries, are Via Monserrato, running offers an impressive collection
home to around 30 of Rome’s parallel, is worth scouring for of European antiques.
grandest showrooms for slightly lower-quality pieces Definitely worth a visit if
antique furniture, Old Master at more realistic prices. you have a taste for mid-20th-
paintings, and objets d’art. An exception to this rule is century modern furniture and
Paolo Antonacci sells a wide Alessio Ponte, specializing in objects is Attik, a stone’s throw
range of beautiful objects, from 19th-century Italian paintings from the MAXXI gallery (see
furniture to works of art. The and sculpture. p261) in the north of the city.
19th-century pencil and ink Via dei Coronari is largely Ceramics and glass ornaments
drawings are exquisite. If you devoted to antiques, with over from the 1950s to the 1970s
cannot get hold of an original, 20 shops lining both sides of cover tables and side boards
Maurizio Grossi on nearby Via the street. Quality is very from similar periods. The shop
Margutta sells fine reproduction high – as are the prices. It is a also has an eclectic range of
ancient Roman busts and good place for Baroque and lamps and lighting fixtures.
obelisks. On the same street is Empire elaborate inlaid vases,
Goffi Carboni, more Asian in secretaries, and consoles.
out look, with Chinese and Antiqua Domus is a treasure Modern Art
Japanese ceramics and prints trove of antique Italian furniture. Rome is rich in avant-garde
alongisde its 17th- to 19th- Pieces dating from ancient galleries exhibiting paintings by
century European art collection. Rome through to the 19th recognized Modern Masters
Cesare Lampronti is owned century are for sale. through to the up-and-coming
by the top dealer of that name. Bruschini Tanca sells a variety generation of young, mainly
Aided and complemented of objects including micro- Italian, artists.
by his partner Carlo Peruzzi, mosaic pieces and antique Rome’s art galleries are usually
he sells 16th- to 18th-century paintings, while Hutong open 10am–1pm and 5–8pm
European paintings, with an specializes in art and antiques Tue–Sat. Some open only in the
emphasis on Roman and from China, Vietnam, and afternoon; others are also open
Italian works in general. Myanmar, stocking furniture, on Monday afternoon. The best
Alberto di Castro, located in statues, and objets d’art. times to visit are afternoons,
Piazza di Spagna, is a fourth- Galleria dei Coronari has a and early evenings.
generation dealer specializing superb collection of tapestries, As with Rome’s antiques
in statues, paintings, and other clocks, paintings, and statuary, shops, the art galleries tend to
precious objects from the as well as watches. be concentrated in a couple of

US_340-341_EW_Rome_US.indd 340 15/03/17 4:22 pm
Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
Practical template “UK” LAYER
(Source v1.1)
Date 13th August 2012
Size 125mm x 217mm