The Picture Gallery of the Academy of Concordi sprang up in 1833, with the coming of the Casilini Collection.
The Academy was founded in 1580 by Earl Gaspare Campo and round the middle of XVIII century it started dealing with painting, and commissioned the greatest Veneto painters to depict an extraordinary number of portraits of the most famous men of Rovigo and of the most famous Venetian protectors.
Then lots of noblemen began being interested in painting, as well. Earl Giovanni Francesco Casilini became a collector of the Venetian art of the 15th and 16th century. He gathered almost 200 works in his palace, and decided to leave them to the Academy of Concordi as a legacy. Afterwards other generous citizens donated their paintings. In 1878 there was a considerable increase, when the Academy received half of the Silvestri collection as a legacy. The other half was given to the Bishop’s Seminary of Rovigo.
A third legacy was received in 1901, thanks to Commendatore Albano Gobetti.
So a rich picture gallery was formed, with 450 works, mainly belonging to the Venetian art from XIV to XVIII cen. Some worldwide known masterpieces stand out among them.
In 1982 the Academy of Concordi was entrusted with the picture gallery of the Bishop’s Seminary, rich of about 200 works. It was exhibited on the third floor of the gallery. In this way the Silvestri collection was gathered up.
The picture gallery of the Academy of Concordi is set up in Palazzo Bosi (XVIII cen.), beside the Academy Palace, and it follows the modern principles of museum fit-out.
Scholars regard it as one of the most important galleries in Veneto.
The objectives of the gallery are: popularizing the works of art that Rovigo received from collectors, putting the art heritage gathered by collectors from Rovigo at everybody’s disposal.
The artistic growth of the gallery has always aimed at making the art heritage enjoyable to a wider and wider audience. This has been achieved by restoration works whose purpose is the conservation and evaluation of cultural heritage and by housing every year temporary exhibitions of huge international importance.
The Museum deals with art and carries out guided tours, teaching activities for schools of all levels, readings of both ancient and contemporary authors, music and painting exhibitions.
The paintings belong mainly to the Venetian School of the XIV - XVIII centuries (Giovanni Bellini, Giambattista Piazzetta, Giambattista Tiepolo).
There are also works of the School of Ferrara (Dosso Dossi, Scarsellino) and of other Italian and foreign schools (Giordano Strozzi, Gossaert).
Recently a display area dedicated to contemporary art has been opened to the public.
Since 1982 the Art Gallery has been hosting the Bishop’s Seminary picture gallery.
Every year the Art Gallery houses a temporary exhibition of huge international importance.
The seat of the Picture Gallery of the Academy of Concordi and of the Bishop’s Seminary is the prestigious Roverella Palace, the fifteenth-century residence of the powerful cardinal Bartolomeo Roverella.
The museum halls are in two different floors: the attic, particularly striking due to its red exposed brick walls, and the main floor decorated with frescoes of the late nineteenth century.
The display area is about 2000 sqm.
Activities: conservation and evaluation of the existing cultural heritage, development of collections, restorations, teaching activities, advice and cooperation for the preservation of works of art in Polesine, art works cataloguing, art exhibition arrangement.
Cooperation: with the Municipality of Rovigo, the Province, The Veneto Region, the Monuments and Fine Arts Department, Italian and foreign Museums.
URL: http://www.smppolesine.it / accademia /eng_pagine/home.php | Last update: 21 November 2011 04:35:55