The Accademia Galleries is a museum gallery of pre-19th century. Situated on the south bank of the Grand Canal, within the sestiere of Dorsoduro, it gives its name to one of the three bridges across the canal, the Ponte dell'Accademia. It was originally created as an art school.
In the early 18th century, while Venice was a thriving community of artists, the painters were still members of a guild of craftsmen and unlike other major cities, there was no formal Art Academy. However, plans moved slowly in 18th century Venice. A decree by the Venetian Senate sought the formation of an Academy. But not till December 1766 the senate ordered without delay the construction of an Academy of sculpture, painting, and civil architecture similar to those in the main cities of Italy and Europe.
The Accademia Galleries house an outstanding collection of Venetian paintings that date back from the XIVth to the XVIIIth centuries.
Among them the masterpieces of Bellini, Giorgione, Carpaccio, Tiziano, Tintoretto, Veronese and Tiepolo |
