The Doge’s Room

The Sala del Doge is among the most spectacular rooms at the Palazzo Grimani in Venice. It was conceived by Giovanni Grimani as an homage to his grandfather Antonio, first doge of the family, and completed in 1568; decked out with alabaster, serpentine and porphyry, the room housed part of the famed Grimani collection of Greek and Roman sculpture. From 19 May–27 November 2022, the room returns to (something like) its former glory – new analysis of Giovanni Grimani’s inventories and other historical materials have allowed curators at the Museum of the Palazzo Grimani to relocate 20 classical sculptures in the room, among them a Roman depiction of Dionysus in the niche of the front wall; the museum is also holding a exhibition of work by Georg Baselitz at the same time. Find out more here.

Preview below | View Apollo’s Art Diary here 

Statuary group with Dionysus and a satyr (2nd century), Roman. Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Venezia

Statuette of a woman (possibly Demeter) with a polos (4th century BC, with 16th-century restorations), Greek. Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Venezia

The Doge’s Room. Photo: Matteo De Fina