Peggy Guggenheim Museum

The Peggy Guggenheim Museum is a very radical departure from most Venetian galleries, as it is focused on the 20th century, and contains nary an Italian artist. The museum's collection was assembled by the heiress Peggy Guggenheim, who lived and housed these pieces in the 18th century Palazzo Venier dei Leoni, popularly known as the "unfinished palace" because of its single floor. The photo above shows the approach from the water, while actual entrance is gained via a side street in Dorsoduro. The museum is home to  more than 200 contemporary artists representing the avante garde movements of Cubism, Futurism, and Surrealism. In addition, it contains a wonderful sculpture garden. After several days of viewing Baroque, Renaissance, and Byzantine art, a trip to the Peggy Guggenheim Museum is a refreshing choice!

Entrance to the Peggy Guggenheim Museum is off a side street in Dosoduro, (photo to the left) and opens into the courtyard shown in the photo to the right. This courtyard is open, save for one sculpture, a large standing rectangle which contains an electronic waterfall recessed within. A glimpse of things to come. After purchasing tickets inside the house with the pink facade, visitors walk by the waterfall and enter the Palazzo. Entrance is gained via a second courtyard, which contains The Nasher Sculpture Garden, a wonderful collection of diverse works including Henry Moore's I, inspired by Italian bell towers. The photo to the right affords a glimpse of the sculpture garden's shaded area. Peggy Guggenheim is also buried in this courtyard, as are her innumerable pets. Entrance to the museum is through the building to the left of the courtyard. This section of the Palazzo Venier dei Leoni houses the majority of the museum's collection (detailed below). The photo at the lower left shows the entrance to the museum. The museum contains works by Picasso, Giocometti, Ernst, Magritte, Pollock, Klee, Kandinsky, and others, a veritable who's who of 20th century artists. There is also a separate Gianni Mattioli Collection, located on the grounds. The museum also has a very complete museum store and cafe, opposite the museum entrance. This is shown in the photo to the lower right.

Some Highlights of the Peggy Guggenheim Museum:

The Poet by Picasso dates from his early cubist period. The figure is executed from a limited palette of ochre and dark browns

Bird in Space, a polished brass structure was created between 1932 and 1940 by Romanian artist Constantin Brancusi

In Attirement of the Bride, Max  Ernst's  portrayal of an orange-robed bride assisted by mutant animals and humans exemplifies his Surrealist motifs. Ernst was married to Peggy Guggenheim in the 1940's.

Rene Magritte, a Belgian surrealist known for his eccentric subjects, displays these themes aptly in the 1953-45 work, Empire of Light. Magical light effects see darkened trees and a house silhouetted by street lamp against a contrasting daytime sky with fluffy clouds.

Woman Walking, by Alberto Giacometti (1932) is a serene elongated form of a tuncated female figure. Apparently inspired by Etruscan design, this style became Giacometti's trademark.















This 1942 painting by Jackson Pollock entitled The Moon Woman pre-dates his famous "drip" paintings (also on display in this museum). This vibrant canvas starring a skeletal stick figure with an odd, padded curve is one of his early works.













Paul Klee's Magic Garden (1926) has been described as a "deliberately child-like warmly textured" painting It consists of smeared shapes with sketched in faces and buildings. According to the artist, it fulfilled his desire to "as though newborn . . to be almost primitive."













This simple masterpiece of movement, created by Alexander Calder in 1941, gave its name, Mobile, to all subsequent examples of this art form. It hangs in the atrium of Guggenheim's house, shifting delicately in the breeze.

Angel of the City (1942) is a bronze horse and rider by the Italian sculptor Marino Marini. It sits on the outside terrace, greeting passing boats in a outstretched (and somewhat phallic?) stance.

Henry Moore's Three Standing Figures occupies a prominent place in the Nasher Sculpture Garden. These three abstract figures were created in 1953, inspired by Italian bell towers.

Video of the Peggy Guggenheim Museum