A visit to Peggy Guggenheim

Buon giorno and welcome to Orangehat this week a Venezia. OH recently visited Venice one of the most painted cities in the world and a dream for the romantic, poets, painters and art lovers alike.

Stopping on the Grand Canal and never more than a few minutes away from  the sound of "Hellloh Gondohlah" there's no mistaking what makes this one of  the most visited cities in the world. A maze of canals, bridges and alleyways leading to Campo and Piazza, a mixture of little gems and huge sights, places you'll have seen consistently in books and the movies. The sight and sound of vessels of all shapes and sizes buzzing along the canal like dragonfly along a river. Above all a City steeped in art and architecture history and tradition.

Today though it isn't tradition but Modern that's occupying my thoughts. The Peggy Guggenheim collezione was put together by the inimitable lady  herself. Known as "the mistress of modern art" she befriended artists such as  Giacometti, Pollock and Mondrian and her passion led her to amass one of the  most important collections of early 20th century art.

The Peggy Guggenheim collection can be viewed at the 18th century Palazzo Venier dei  Leoni.  Known locally as the unfinished palace because of  its one-storey construction, it was here that Peggy Guggenheim settled and lived until her death in 1979.

It's 25 degrees and 85% humidity so lets go see some Hot Art.  After crossing the Grand Canal via a stroll across the Ponte Dell Accademia (a temporary  wooden structure that has been around since 1930's) I take in the view and memorise forever (i.e take about 20 photos) as I find myself in the Dorsoduro district. The Palazzo is found on the Fondameta Dei Leoni and has a beautiful garden terrace with mature trees and lovely shaded seating areas. The garden itself is an oasis of calm and houses the Nasher Sculpture Garden. Bronzes by Giacometti and Henry Moore rubbing  shoulders with more modern pieces by Anish Kapoor and a wishing tree by Yoko Ono just to mention two. 

Inside the collection is presented room by room and the visitor is taken on  a tour of the Guggenheim household. The furniture and effects have gone but the Art remains triumphant. Each room filled with many of the biggest names the 20th century art world could muster: Picasso, Braque, Brancusi, Kandinsky,  Mondrian, Pollock, Rothko and Bacon - and that's just to wet your appetite! It is a revelation seeing so many great works in such a relatively small setting and looking out on the Grand Canal to boot. It triumphs as does Kettles Yard back in Cambridge because you are reminded that that this is one persons collection but of course here on a much grander Venetian scale and what a setting? - fantastico! 

Orangehat highlights in no particular order:

The Poet (1911) by Pablo Picasso
The Bowl of Grapes (1926) by Georges Braque
Bird in Space (1932 - 40) by Constantin Brancusi
Woman Walking (1932) by Alberto Giacometti
Upward (1929) by Vasily Kandinsky
Composition (1938 - 39) by Piet Mondrian
Eyes in the Heat (1946) by Jackson Pollock
Sacrifice (1946) by Mark Rothko
February 1956 (1956) by Ben Nicholson
Construction of Volumetric Interrelationships (1924) by Georges Vantongerloo

Look out for:

The Peggy Guggenheim headstone and a memorial to her dogs.
A wishing Olive tree presented by Yoko Ono.
Peggy's marble throne - definitely worth a photo seated here!
Terrace complete with wonderful view along the Grand Canal and the Angel of the City - a bronze horse and rider (1948) by Italian Marino Marini complete  with a detachable phallus!

Have a coffee, light snack or meal on the Cafe's shady verandah.

Top money saving tip

Check out the bookshop note your favourite items and  then purchase from Amazon.co.uk

Orangehat recommended:

"Out of this Century confessions of an art addict" the autobiography of Peggy
Guggenheim published by Andre Deutsch

"The Peggy Guggenheim Collection" published by Guggenheim

To view more Contemporary Art and Ceramics visit Orangehat

Peggy Guggenhein Collection
Fondamenta Venier dei Leoni
Dorsoduro 704
open Wed - Mon 10:00 - 18:00
admission 12 Euro
coffee shop
shop
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