Accademia di Belle Arti di Venezia reopens Gipsoteca with new installation

The Accademia di Belle Arti di Venezia has unveiled a new installation of its Gipsoteca, a collection of plaster casts used for artistic training since the 19th century. Curated by Vincenzo Casali Studio with R3B and ERCO Lighting, the reinstallation reorganizes the casts along the first-floor corridor of the Sede Centrale degli Incurabili, enhancing monumentality and readability. A dual lighting system combines general and focused illumination to highlight sculptural details, while a redesigned ceiling with panels evoking large paintings adds aesthetic balance. The Gipsoteca's origins date to the early 1800s, when Antonio Canova contributed casts from Filippo Farsetti's gallery. Later additions included the Elgin Marbles donated by the British Regent in 1819 and works from European courts. The collection has trained generations of artists, including Francesco Hayez and Emilio Vedova. The reinstallation coincides with the inauguration of the 2024-2025 academic year and the academy's 275th anniversary. It is part of a broader project to preserve the academy's historical archive, which includes rare books like the Hypnerotomachia Poliphili by Aldo Manuzio, and works by Piranesi and Dürer.