The Palazzo Grassi

The Palazzo Grassi, Venice

The Palazzo Grassi is located on the eastern bank of the Grand Canal in the San Marco district of Venice.

The palace, also known as the Palazzo Grassi-Stucky, was constructed between 1748 and 1772. Its architect, Giorgio Massari, designed a distinctly classical building in sharp contrast to the other palaces in the locality, particularly the baroque Ca' Rezzonico on the opposite bank of the Grand Canal.

The impressive marble facade of the palace lacks the usual recessed loggia for the collection and delivery of goods. Instead, the principal entrance is approached by a formal stairway which descends to the water's edge.

The interior is arranged around a large colonnaded courtyard with a modest rear gate leading to the Campo San Samuele. The grand staircase in the reception hall is decorated with trompe d'oeil frescos by Michelangelo Morlaiter and Francesco Zanchi.

The Grassi were not an established Venetian family but wealthy newcomers from Bologna. Naturally they wished to cement their position in Venetian society.

Giorgio Massari, who died six years before the completion of the building, is best known for his baroque architecture. Although he reverted to a flat classical facade when he designed the exterior of the Palazzo Grassi, his arrangement of the interior colonnades creates a typically baroque chiaroscuro effect.

The baroque splendour of the Ca' Rezzonico on the opposite bank of the Grand Canal sharply contrasts with the formal classicism of the Palazzo Grassi: Adriano, 24.03.2002. Image published under GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2 or later

Trompe d'Oeil fresco by Michelangelo Morlaiter, Palazzo Grassi Venice

The Palazzo Grassi was the last great palace constructed in Venice before the Napoleonic invasion of 1797. The Grassi, who later suffered a reverse in their fortunes, sold the palace in 1840.

The palace then passed through a succession of owners including the industrialists Giovanni Stucky and Vittorio Cini. Naturally each altered it according to their own personal tastes.

It was purchased by the Fiat Group in 1983 and transformed into a cultural centre, art gallery and museum. The interior courtyard was converted into a 600-seat theatre.

The project was supervised by the Milanise architect, Gae Aulenti, who also directed the Musee d'Orsay conversion in Paris.

In 2005 the French industrialist, Francois Pinault, purchased a controlling interest in the Palazzo Grassi.

Pinault, whose own personal art collection consists of over 2,500 works, had originally intended to establish a musem on the Ile Seguin  in Paris but was frustrated by burocratic delays.

The Palazzo Grassi now displays numerous paintings from the Pinault's private collection in addition to hosting  temporary exhibitions. In recent years these have included a Dali retrospective, the inventions of Leonardo da Vinci, and a collection of modern art inspired by Paul Gauguin entitled: “Where are we Going?”

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