Ca’ Pesaro

Eclectic collections ranging from a Klimt masterpiece to samurai swords span three floors of this Baldassare Longhena– designed 1710 palazzo. When the palace was donated to the city as a showcase for new ideas in 1902, the Galleria d’Arte Moderna began with the boosterish early days of the Biennale, showcasing Venetian landscapes, Venetian painters (notably Giacomo Favretto), and Venetian socialites embodying mythological virtues. But savvy Biennale collectors soon diversified, snapping up pivotal works such as Gustav Klimt’s 1909 Judith II (Salome) and Marc Chagall’s Rabbi of Vitebsk (1914–22). The De Lisi Bequest in 1961 added Kandinskys and Morandis to the modernist mix of De Chiricos, Mirós and Moores. Upstairs, step back in time through the phalanx of samurai warriors at the quirky Museo d’Arte Orientale, evidence of Prince Enricodi Borbone’s 1887–89 souvenir shopping spree across Asia preserved for posterity in vintage curio cabinets. The prince reached Japan when Edo art was discounted in favour of modern Meiji, and Edo-era swords, netsukes, and a lacquerware palanquin are his standout acquisitions in this collection of 30,000 objets d’art. The collection has been left much as it was organised in 1928, setting a retro scene perfect for an Indiana Jones sequel.