The majestic Ca' Pesaro palace, currently home to the Museum of Oriental Art and the International Gallery of Modern Art, was built in the second half of the 17th century by the noble Pesaro family. Designed by the prominent Baroque architect Baldassarre Longhena, also responsible for the Church of the Salute and Ca’ Rezzonico, construction began in 1659 and was completed by Gian Antonio Gaspari in 1710 after Longhena's death.
The palace houses the collection of the Museum of Oriental Art of Venice, acquired by Enrico di Borbone in the 19th century during his journey to the Far East. After changes in ownership, the collection was taken over by the Italian state in 1920. Assembled by Nino Barbantini between 1925 and 1928, the museum features seven rooms dedicated to Japan, with weapons, clothing, paintings, and lacquer objects from the Edo period. The Chinese section exhibits jade and porcelain, while the Southeast Asian section showcases Thai silverware, Burmese lacquerware, rare kris, batik textiles, and leather wayang puppets, the Indonesian shadow theater.
Some works from the collection are displayed on a rotating basis, while others, such as woodblock prints, Buddhist altars, Chinese and Japanese clothing and paintings, or furniture, are stored for conservation and space reasons. Ca' Pesaro is a place full of history and culture, representing a bridge between East and West through its extraordinary art collections.
