The Gallerie dell’Accademia is one of the most important and significant museums in Venice, so rich in works of Veneto art ranging from the 14th to the early 19th century that an entire weekend would not be enough to visit it properly. That is why we thought of putting together this mini-guide, an itinerary idea that can help you organise your visit here, without the risk of missing any of the most important works on display here.
The first floor of the Gallerie dell’Accademia: what you must see
The first floor of the Gallerie dell’Accademia is divided into twenty-four rooms, each of which presents works by different Veneto artists, from the most famous to the lesser-known.
Needless to say, our advice is to visit them all with the support of a guide or an audio guide, so that you can fully understand the essence of each of these masterpieces, but having said that, here is our personal selection of works that we advise you not to miss.
Room 1
In this room, stop and take a close look at Jacobello del Fiore’s La Giustizia in trono tra gli arcangeli Gabriele e Michele, a triptych painted in 1421, presumably intended for the Doge’s Palace. The painting is very bright and elegant, its main peculiarity is the robes worn by the subjects. The technique used by the artist is that of gilding in plaster, which is very special indeed.
Room 2
Proceeding to the next room, your eye will surely be caught by the beauty of the Lamentation over the Dead Christ with the Virgin and Saints Joseph of Arimathea, Magdalene, Martha and Filippo Benizi by Giovanni Bellini, a work full of naturalistic details, rich in symbolism such as the three fig, olive and apple trees, a clear reference to the meditation on the passion of Christ, the pain of the Virgin Mary and the resurrection overcoming original sin.
Room IV
In this room – although small in size – Piero della Francesca’s work, Saint Jerome and a worshipper, stands out. Thi is one of the rare cases in which the artist’s signature appears.
There are two curiosities about this painting: the first concerns the characters depicted: St. Jerome, dressed in a tunic clasped at the waist, and The Devotee, who has the likeness of the client, Girolamo di Agostini Amadi. The second curiosity concerns the landscape in the background, reminiscent of Borgo Sansepolcro, Piero della Francesca’s birthplace.
Room VIII
Room VIII displays two very famous works: The Old Woman and The Tempest, both by Giorgione, originally belonging to the Vendramin collection, where they were until 1601.
The perfection and minute details of these works still amaze the thousands of visitors and art lovers who visit the Accademia Galleries.
Room X
Moving on, we now stop in Room X where Paolo Veronese’s painting of the Battle of Lepanto is housed: Allegory of the Battle of Lepanto.
Here, Venice is depicted as a woman dressed in white, behind her the figure of a lion makes the interpretation unmistakable. The sun illuminates the Venetian ships, victorious in the battle, while the Turkish ones fall into darkness.
Room XX
In this room, we invite you to stop in front of Gentile Bellini’s Procession in St. Mark’s Square, a real leap back in time, into a lively and very participative Venice.
Stop and observe the clothes of those present, discovering the fashions and colours of the age.
Room XXIV
Here is The Presentation of the Virgin in the Temple with the Brothers of the Scuola Grande della Carità by the famous Tiziano Vecellio, an oil on canvas painting executed between 1534 and 1538.
A curiosity about this work: the steps of the staircase are 15, exactly like the Psalms recited by pilgrims on their way to the Temple in Jerusalem.
The ground floor of the Gallerie dell’Accademia: what you must see
The ground floor of the Accademia Galleries is dedicated more to sculpture than to painting. Here, in fact, we find plaster casts and sketches by Canova and some important busts, such as those of the painters Titian and Bellini, made by Rinaldi Rinaldo.
If you found this mini-guide of things to see at the Gallerie dell’Accademia in Venice interesting, we suggest you print it out and take it with you on your visit.
In case you want to know whether a particular work is on display or under restoration, you can consult the dedicated link on the museum’s website.
One last tip: book your ticket online for your visit directly on the website. If you have purchased the Venezia Unica card, the ticket is already included.
If you found this mini-guide of things to see at the Gallerie dell’Accademia in Venice interesting, we suggest you print it out and take it with you on your visit.
In case you want to know whether a particular work is on display or under restoration, you can consult the dedicated link on the museum’s website.
One last tip: book your ticket online for your visit directly on the website. If you have purchased the Venezia Unica card, the ticket is already included.
