East african arms in the Museo di Storia Naturale, Venzia

asomotif · 28th September 2011, 02:21 PM

Hello fellow collectors.

Last weekend we visited the natural museum in Venice, Italy.
Much to my surprise they have a very large collection of east african ethnografica. And as often, the main part of such a collection is arms.
mainly spears, shields, some arrows, clubs and an occasional sword.

I asked if it was possible to take pictures. unfortunately this was not allowed and even more unfortunately I was not able to take even the slightest overview picture. (after my request is was watched meticulously

)

Here some details that I found on their website and a picture from this same website (unfortunately one picture of the hunting trophies. also in this museum, weapons are slight ignored, even when they are on display)

http://www.museiciviciveneziani.it/f...&sezione=musei

COLLECTING TO ASTONISH, COLLECTING FOR RESEARCH
Or the evolution of naturalist collecting

1. Venetian Explorers
Luxuriant and evocative, these three rooms display the extraordinary collections of Giovanni Miani and Giuseppe De Reali, unusual Venetian explorers who lived between the nineteenth- and early twentieth century in a particular cultural and historical context which lay between positivism and nascent Italian colonialism.
The first room is dedicated to Giovanni Miani, an explorer of the upper Nile and a multitalented scholar, who in 1862 donated to the city of Venice the material gathered on his expedition, concluded just two years previously. It remains one of the most important collections, universally renowned both for the study of African ethnology of the mid-nineteenth century and for its historical value. The room reconstructs the original furnishings and furbishing of the room, substantially similar to the one proposed by Miani himself in a signed drawing of 1865.The next two rooms are dedicated to Giuseppe De Reali’s African collection, put together over twelve journeys to northern and Saharan Africa and equatorial Africa between 1898 and 1929.
Donated by his heirs in 1937, immediately after his death, the collection was reordered in these very rooms according to the exhibition model De Reali wanted for his villa in Dosson, and which we see here in this new setting.
Next is a room dedicated to Giancarlo Ligabue, a great contemporary explorer and collector with close ties to the museum. Here we find archaeological exhibits coming from the Ligabue Study and Research Centre (CSRL) and various digs. One space is reserved for an unusual, small collection of “trophies”, consisting of engraved or decorated human skulls from New Guinea.

Ps, when in Venice, don't forget to visit the museum of Oriental art at Ca'Pesaro. Almost entirely dedicated to Japanese art
The Museum is one of the most important collection of Japanese art of the Edo period. This collection was bought by Prince Henry II of Borbone, Count of Bardi during his travel to Asia, bewteen 1887 and 1889. More than 30.000 objects, among which swords and daggers, Japanese armours, delicate enamel objects and precious porcelains, with wide sections dedicated to Indonesian and Chinese art.

Best regards,
Willem

colin henshaw · 28th September 2011, 03:35 PM

Many thanks for the information. Sounds interesting, a pity they wouldn't let you take photos...

Regards.

laEspadaAncha · 28th September 2011, 10:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by asomotif

I asked if it was possible to take pictures. unfortunately this was not allowed and even more unfortunately I was not able to take even the slightest overview picture. (after my request is was watched meticulously

)

Hi Willem,

Isn't that an inconvenience? I became very adept at 'sneaking' pictures in Doge's Palace (the docents can't be everywhere at once

)... There are many perfectly reasonable explanations to taking photographs when in a museum - not just for future reference, but if an exhibit is aesthetically pleasing or demonstrates an appreciable display solution, or as a simple memento of seeing an exhibit you may never get to visit again...

In lieu of taking photographs, provided a museum publishes a quality catalog of a given collection, I will pick up a copy. But a poor-quality catalog is a poor substitute for the capabilities of a photographer armed with even an average point-an-shoot camera...

asomotif · 28th September 2011, 11:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by laEspadaAncha

I became very adept at 'sneaking' pictures in Doge's Palace (the docents can't be everywhere at once

Yes, next time I better try the sneak method.
But as I did not see specific signs about taking pictures, I hoped that pictures would be allowed if taking without flash

Just a few pictures giving an impression would have been nice enough.

In the museumshop I found no catalogue whatsoever about the collection.

28th September 2011, 02:21 PM	#1
asomotif Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 2,224	East african arms in the Museo di Storia Naturale, Venzia Hello fellow collectors. Last weekend we visited the natural museum in Venice, Italy. Much to my surprise they have a very large collection of east african ethnografica. And as often, the main part of such a collection is arms. mainly spears, shields, some arrows, clubs and an occasional sword. I asked if it was possible to take pictures. unfortunately this was not allowed and even more unfortunately I was not able to take even the slightest overview picture. (after my request is was watched meticulously ) Here some details that I found on their website and a picture from this same website (unfortunately one picture of the hunting trophies. also in this museum, weapons are slight ignored, even when they are on display) http://www.museiciviciveneziani.it/f...&sezione=musei COLLECTING TO ASTONISH, COLLECTING FOR RESEARCH Or the evolution of naturalist collecting 1. Venetian Explorers Luxuriant and evocative, these three rooms display the extraordinary collections of Giovanni Miani and Giuseppe De Reali, unusual Venetian explorers who lived between the nineteenth- and early twentieth century in a particular cultural and historical context which lay between positivism and nascent Italian colonialism. The first room is dedicated to Giovanni Miani, an explorer of the upper Nile and a multitalented scholar, who in 1862 donated to the city of Venice the material gathered on his expedition, concluded just two years previously. It remains one of the most important collections, universally renowned both for the study of African ethnology of the mid-nineteenth century and for its historical value. The room reconstructs the original furnishings and furbishing of the room, substantially similar to the one proposed by Miani himself in a signed drawing of 1865.The next two rooms are dedicated to Giuseppe De Reali’s African collection, put together over twelve journeys to northern and Saharan Africa and equatorial Africa between 1898 and 1929. Donated by his heirs in 1937, immediately after his death, the collection was reordered in these very rooms according to the exhibition model De Reali wanted for his villa in Dosson, and which we see here in this new setting. Next is a room dedicated to Giancarlo Ligabue, a great contemporary explorer and collector with close ties to the museum. Here we find archaeological exhibits coming from the Ligabue Study and Research Centre (CSRL) and various digs. One space is reserved for an unusual, small collection of “trophies”, consisting of engraved or decorated human skulls from New Guinea. Ps, when in Venice, don't forget to visit the museum of Oriental art at Ca'Pesaro. Almost entirely dedicated to Japanese art The Museum is one of the most important collection of Japanese art of the Edo period. This collection was bought by Prince Henry II of Borbone, Count of Bardi during his travel to Asia, bewteen 1887 and 1889. More than 30.000 objects, among which swords and daggers, Japanese armours, delicate enamel objects and precious porcelains, with wide sections dedicated to Indonesian and Chinese art. Best regards, Willem Attached Images Last edited by asomotif; 28th September 2011 at 10:06 PM.

28th September 2011, 03:35 PM	#2
colin henshaw Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 1,430	Many thanks for the information. Sounds interesting, a pity they wouldn't let you take photos... Regards.