Photo: pixabay.com
Hermitage Museum will participate in the exhibition in Louvre Museum in Paris, The Art Newspaper Russia informs. It includes the items collected by Giovanni Pietro Campana, who was the most famous art collectors of 19th century. He was fond of antique sculptures and collected ancient Greek marble, bronze and ceramic works, Roman relief sculptures, ancient coins and medals. The collection included several thousands items.
Louvre put it together for the first time in 150 years.
Its former owner was born in Rome in a wealthy family. He started working in the Vatican’s bank, following the family tradition. Campana was a successful merchant.
Over time, the collection has grown so enormously that its owner decided to build a big villa and establish the museum there. Unfortunately, he did not do it due to lack of money, he kept buying new artworks instead. He started borrowing bail money in his bank, and soon the huge shortfall was detected.
Campan was sentenced to banishment, and the collection was put for auction. The main buyers were Russian Emperor Alexander II and Napoleon III. Russia purchased almost 1500 vases, more than 100 bronze items and the artworks of Rafael’s students. France grabbed all ancient gold, Greek ceramics and more than 400 paintings of Italian masters. Today there artworks take several Louvre’s halls. Some parts of collection have been sent to British museums.
Russian audience can see the exhibition in Hermitage Museum next summer.
Russkiy Mir
