The Direzione regionale Musei nazionali Veneto and Fondazione Venetian Heritage are participating as institutional guests in the 34th edition of the Biennale Internazionale dell’Antiquariato di Firenze, taking place at Palazzo Corsini from September 26 to October 4, 2026, with the presentation of one of the most significant masterpieces from the collection of the Galleria Giorgio Franchetti alla Ca’ d’Oro: the Belvedere Apollo by Pier Jacopo Alari Bonacolsi, known as l’Antico. The presentation of this remarkable work aims to draw attention to the major restoration and reinstallation project of the museum supported by Venetian Heritage, which includes joint efforts to promote and enhance the Ca’ d’Oro’s artistic heritage.

This ambitious project, whose total cost exceeds €10 million, is funded by Venetian Heritage in collaboration with the Fondazione Giulio e Giovanna Sacchetti. The works, which began in 2023, will be completed in 2027.

The special exhibition at the Biennale, made possible by the museum’s temporary closure for renovation works, offers an opportunity to present one of the Ca’ d’Oro’s masterpieces to the public while, at the same time, highlighting a significant example of public-private collaboration in the protection, conservation, and promotion of Italy’s cultural heritage.

Venetian Heritage gratefully acknowledges the generous support of ARTE Generali and Artería as technical sponsors.

Belvedere Apollo by l’Antico
Likely executed between 1498 and 1502 for the Gonzaga family, this bronze statuette is a refined reinterpretation of the celebrated ancient sculpture now in the Vatican Museums. Rather than simply reducing the scale of the original, Antico reconstructed its missing parts and refined its composition, transforming the classical model into one of the great masterpieces of Renaissance bronze sculpture. The Ca’ d’Oro example is distinguished by its exceptional craftsmanship, exquisite fire gilding, and precious silver inlays.Part of the Gonzaga collections for centuries, the statuette entered the Venetian public collections in the eighteenth century through the bequest of Domenico Pasqualigo. It has been housed at the Ca’ d’Oro since 1926.