The Ca' d'Oro is a palace built between 1428 and 1430 for the Contarini family, who provided Venice with eight Doges between 1043 and 1676. The architects of Ca' d'Oro were Giovanni Bon and his son Bartolomeo Bon.
In 1894, the palace was acquired by its last owner, Baron Giorgio Franchetti; throughout his life, he amassed an important art collection and personally oversaw its extensive restoration, including the reconstruction of the stairway and the Cosmatesque courtyard which were removed by a 19th century owner, the ballet dancer Marie Taglioni. In 1916, Franchetti bequeathed the Ca' d'Oro to the Italian State.
Today Ca' d'Oro, after a deep restoration, has been transformed into a museum and houses a beautiful art collection belonging to Baron Giorgio Franchetti.
The museum includes sculptures, ceramics, furniture and paintings from Tuscan, Flemish and Venetian schools, works by Mantegna, Giorgione and Titian from the Fontego dei Tedeschi.
Among the works on display are:
-Sculptures and bronzes: Tullio Lombardo, Andrea Briosco, Jacopo Bonacolosi called "l'Antico", Vittore Camelio, Gerolamo Campagna, Alessandro Vittoria and Gian Lorenzo Bernini,
-Paintings of the Venetian School: San Sebastián by Andrea Mantegna,
-Art works of: Luca Signorelli, Michele Giambono, Alvise Vivarini, Carpaccio, Francesco Botticini, Tintoret, Titien, Pâris Bordone, Francesco Guardi, Antoine Van Dyck, Jan Van Eyck, Adam Elsheimer and Jan Fyt.
Ca 'Duodo, annexed to Ca' d'Oro, houses a remarkable collection of ceramics found in the lagoon of Venice.
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