Museum of the Orient in Ca Pesado

The Oriental Museum in Ca Pesado in Venice, created as the private collection of Prince Henry of Bourbon in 1889, became a public institution in 1928, occupying an important place in the cultural context. In 2016, the government chose this historic building to house the museum. The architectural design and new design of the support meets all modern requirements. Now the Western public can approach the Eastern world, despite the media and inexpensive flights, it still looks exotic and mysterious.

Background of the Oriental Museum in Ca Pesado

In 1889, thirty thousand Chinese, Indonesian and, above all, Japanese objects were collected in the Vendramin Kalergi Palace in Venice. Their owner was Prince Henry of Bourbon, who had just returned from a long trip to Asia. The desire to capture and convey the spirit of local culture through his products and works of art became something of an obsession for Henry. When he died in 1905, his wife gave the entire set to the Austrian firm Trau, which sold about 10,000 items from 1907 to 1914.

State property

After the First World War, Trau's heritage was confiscated, and the collection became state-owned. The Oriental Museum of Ca Pesado was opened to the public in 1928 in Ca Pesaro: the first director was Eugenio Barbantini, who chose a very impressive setting to amaze the public. In 1937 and 1942, some objects of predominant anthropological interest were taken to the University of Padua, while the Oriental Museum in Ca Pesado adapted the premises to new conservation criteria, creating a repository for the most delicate works of art and changing the structure.

Japanese armor

At the Oriental Museum in Ca Pesado, the first thing that fascinates visitors is the samurai armor. They were made for daimyo (feudal lords of ancient Japan) dating back to the Edo period (1600-1868), when the family of the Tokugawa shogun (i.e. "warlords") established their authority over the entire country. The armor was not often used in battle, but was mostly worn during military parades for the shogun to show off his strength. Each armor consists of a helmet, a breastplate, a kilt, and protection for sensitive parts such as shoulder straps, sleeves, and leggings. The frame is made of patent leather and painted strips, fastened with colored silk laces. In addition to oriental Japanese culture, the building of the Oriental Museum in Ca Pesado also houses the International Gallery of Contemporary Art.