Preserving Wonder: The Canova Museum in Possagno Begins a New Chapter

There is a town of just 2,000 residents that welcomes more than 70,000 visitors every year. It is Possagno, in the province of Treviso, the birthplace of Antonio Canova and home to the Museo Gypsotheca, which houses a unique collection: the original plaster models created by the great master of Neoclassicism. These works reveal the artist's creative process, from the earliest sketches to the finished marble sculptures.

It is a remarkable place, where Canova returned to find silence, inspiration and focus, far from the bustle of his Roman studio. The latest episode of Stories from Italy takes viewers there through the voices of Museum Director Moira Mascotto, Possagno Mayor Valerio Favero and Paolo Palmieri, CDP's Head of Public Administration Business Relations for northeast Italy, who describe the restoration of the Lazzari Wing, the historic core of the museum complex.

The funding made it possible to strengthen the spans of the Lazzari Wing using an innovative engineering technique, improving the building's seismic safety. The project also included the installation of a new lighting system designed to showcase Canova's works while enhancing the visitor experience.

The final phase of the project involved creating a three-dimensional digital model of the entire museum complex, including the wing designed in 1957 by Carlo Scarpa, one of the leading figures of twentieth-century Italian architecture and design. This advanced tool makes it possible to monitor the building's structural vulnerability while supporting documentation and the planning of future conservation work.

Today, the Lazzari Wing has reopened to visitors as a safer and more welcoming space. The project helps safeguard Canova's artistic legacy and reinforces CDP's role as a partner to local authorities in preserving and enhancing Italy's cultural heritage.

Watch the video and discover the latest episode of Stories from Italy.