After reading our article about the Archaeological Museum of Santa Scolastica, do you want to visit other museums in Bari?
Then you’re in the right place!
Today we will let you discover one of the most important museums in Bari, the Art Gallery “Corrado Giaquinto”.
Symbol of the immense artistic heritage of our city and Southern Italy, Bari Art Gallery is the perfect place for all art and sculpture lovers.
Do you want to learn more about Bari’s Art Gallery and its history? Then continue reading!
The Art Gallery overlooking the Lungomare
The history of Bari Art Gallery starts in 1928.
It used to preserve works of art loaned by the galleries of Rome and Naples, paintings and artifacts from churches and convents in Puglia, and other works purchased by the city of Bari itself.
Initially, the Art Gallery was set up in the city government building. In 1936 it was moved to its current location, the historic Palazzo della Provincia di Bari.
This new venue plays a fundamental role in the growing popularity of the Art Gallery among locals.
The Palazzo della Provincia, in fact, directly overlooks one of the most beautiful views of the Lungomare di Bari.
Due to this position, the Art Gallery is known as the museum on the sea and represents one of the most iconic symbols of our Lungomare.
The Art Gallery and its collections
Bari Art Gallery is named after Corrado Giaquinto, a famous Apulian 18th-century painter, and houses a vast collection of works ranging from the Middle Ages to the contemporary period.
The itinerary in the museum is set out in 20 rooms and tells the story of Apulian art from the 11th to the 19th century.
The permanent collections of the Art Gallery include
- Medieval Section which collects icons, sculptures, and sacred representations of the medieval period
- Venetian Paintings Section, where paintings of the Venetian school recovered from churches of Puglia are exhibited. In this section, you can admire works by Jacopo Tintoretto, Giovanni Bellini, and Paris Bordon
- Apulian Paintings Section, which houses paintings by Renaissance artists such as Andrea Bordone and Costantino da Monopoli
- Neapolitan School Section, where you can discover the magnificent Neapolitan Baroque art through the works of Andrea Vaccaro, Fedele Fischetti, and the famous Master of the Announcements to the Shepherds
- The Giaquinto Section, where there is a vast collection of paintings by the Apulian artist Corrado Giaquinto
- Contemporary Section, which exhibits works by late 19th-century artists
Inside the Metropolitan Art Gallery of Bari, you can also admire some private collections offered as gifts by philanthropists and patrons.
Among these collections, the Grieco Collection is the most fascinating one.
It is made up of 50 paintings by Pellizza da Volpedo, Carlo Carrà, Giorgio De Chirico, Giovanni Boldini, and other great names in contemporary Italian art.
Finally, this Art Gallery houses a suggestive collection of eighteenth-century ceramics and the large Caleno nativity scene, comprising over 500 handmade figurines and furnishings!
The exhibitions of Bari Art Gallery
Alongside its permanent collections, Bari Art Gallery regularly hosts temporary exhibitions dedicated to national and international artists.
These initiatives keep the curiosity of locals and visitors alive and allow everyone to admire the most beautiful works of art by great painters.
How to reach the Metropolitan Art Gallery
The Metropolitan Art Gallery of Bari is located via Spalato 19, right in front of the Lungomare di Bari, and is located on the 4th floor of the Palazzo della Provincia di Bari.
You can get there comfortably on foot, while you enjoy a walk on one of the most beautiful seafront in Italy – which is precisely that of Bari!
The Art Gallery is open from Tuesday to Saturday from 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM.
On Sunday visit hours are from 9:00 AM to 12:30 AM.
Like all the most important Italian museums, you can visit the Art Gallery for free every first Sunday of the month!
Would you like to visit the Metropolitan Art Gallery “Corrado Giaquinto”?
Create your customized tour with Your Tour and explore this museum with the Free Walking Tour Bari’s amazing team!
We can’t wait to take you there!