Economy - published on 20 October 2023
Source: press office Museo Gypsotheca Antonio Canova
Possagno, 19 October 2023
The Museo Gypsotheca Antonio Canova in Possagno is heading towards a period of renovation thanks to the restoration work made possible by the victory of the Culture Fund. The work, which will take place from 19 October 2023 until the spring of 2024, will focus on seismic improvement and enhancement of the architectural heritage of a section of the Gypsotheca.
The restoration will concern the second and third bays of the 19th-century wing, a structure built to a design by architect Francesco Lazzari between 1831 and 1836 at the behest of the sculptor’s brother, Giovanni Battista Sartori. Currently, this part of the building is in need of some interventions, aimed at improving the seismic response, which will be implemented through highly innovative solutions. This will allow experts to monitor its static condition in real time, to which will be added a complete lighting refurbishment.
The Scarpa Wing and Canova’s Birthplace will remain fully accessible to the public, a place that still retains its original furnishings and houses personal objects and working tools of the Artist. The Birthplace is also currently home to the Picture Gallery, which preserves the corpus of his paintings, 16 oil paintings made from 1783 to 1799. In addition to these paintings, the building also houses his drawings, temperas on paper, some engravings and marbles. A visit to these places allows you to discover a previously unseen, intimate and delicate Canova.
As its name suggests, the project “Restoration and digitisation of the Canova architectural complex”, conceived by the Municipality of Possagno in collaboration with the Canova Museum, is not limited to restoration activities but also consists of a process of digitisation of the Gypsotheca. This phase envisages the combination and integration of innovative methods and technologies of geomatics, for the intangible reproduction of the architectural complex, and of communication for online cataloguing and public participation activities. The project, including the information sheets created with high-precision laser scanner surveys, with 3D restitution, will be available on an online platform with the possibility of participatory interaction by the public.
During these months, the Museum will offer the public new tools for enjoyment, making the conservation activity also a moment of valorisation. Extraordinary guided tours with the Museum Director, Moira Mascotto, and the Site Manager, Fabio Guidolin, will be organised, as well as conferences with experts in the field to explore the theme of heritage restoration and conservation.
This ambitious project has enriched the programme of the Canova Anniversaries, which have become an opportunity to bring renewed attention to the birthplace, art and figure of Antonio Canova. The set of initiatives is based on the centrality of the Sculptor’s moral, cultural and artistic legacy for the town of Possagno and is part of a larger process aimed at the cultural and socio-economic redevelopment of the surrounding area.
