Page 150 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Venice & The Veneto

148  VENICE AREA B Y AREA

q Ca’ d’Oro

One of the great showpieces of the Grand Canal, the
Ca’ d’Oro (or House of Gold) is the finest example of
Venetian Gothic architecture in the city. The façade,
with its finely carved ogee windows, Oriental
pinnacles and exotic marble tracery, has an
unmistakable flavour of the east. But this once
gloriously embellished palazzo suffered many
changes of fortune and there is now little inside to
remind visitors that this was once a 15th-century
palace. Since 1984 it has been home to the Giorgio
Franchetti Collection.

Under her direction, the
History First Floor
Ca’ d’Oro suffered barbaric
In 1420 the wealthy patrician restoration. The open staircase Pride of place is given to Andrea
Marino Contarini commissioned was ripped out, the wellhead by Mantegna’s St Sebastian (1506),
the building of what he was Bartolomeo Bon (1427–8) was the artist’s last painting and
determined would be the most sold and much of the Franchetti’s favourite work of
magnificent palace in the city. stonework removed. art. The portego (gallery) opening
The decoration and It was finally rescued on to the Grand Canal is a
the intricate carving by Baron Franchetti, showroom of sculpture. Among
were executed by a a patron of the arts, the finest pieces are bronze reliefs
team of Venetian who restored it to its by the Paduan sculptor Il Riccio
and Lombard former glory and (1470–1532), Tullio Lombardo’s
craftsmen, and he bequeathed it to marble Double Portrait (c.1493)
had the façade the State in 1915. and Sansovino’s lunette of the
adorned in A restoration Virgin and Child (c.1530). Rooms
ultramarine, gold Tullio Lombardo’s programme for the to the right of the portego have
leaf and vermilion. Double Portrait façade, first put into some fine Renaissance bronzes
In the course of action in the 1970s, and, among the paintings, an
the 16th century the house was is now finally completed, Annunciation and Death of the
remodelled by a succession of revealing the building’s exotic Virgin (both c.1504) by Vittore
owners, and by the early 18th design. The pretty paved Carpaccio and assistants. A
century was semi-derelict. In courtyard contains Bon’s room to the left of the portego
1846 the Russian Prince beautifully carved wellhead. is devoted to non-Venetian
Troubetzkoy bought it for the This was one of the pieces painting, and includes Luca
famous ballerina Marie Taglioni. retrieved by Franchetti. Signorelli’s Flagellation (c.1480).

Second Floor
The upper floor houses paintings
by Venetian masters, including a
Venus by Titian, two Venetian
views by Guardi and fresco
fragments by Titian, as well as
tapestries and ceramics.
Explanatory cards aid visitors.
VISITORS’ CHECKLIST
Practical Information
Canal Grande (Calle Ca’ d’Oro).
Map 3 A4. Tel 041 520 03 45.
Open 8:15am–2pm Mon, 8:15am–
7:15pm Tue–Sat, 10am– 6pm Sun.
Closed 1 Jan, 1 May, 25 Dec. & ^
9 = 7 partial. ∑ cadoro.org
Transport
4 Ca’ d’Oro.
The Annunciation (1504) by Vittore Carpaccio and assistants

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