Palazzo Pesaro

…and grotesques, as in the Palazzo Pesaro (1659–1710, by Baldassare Longhena). The variety of styles along the larger canals, unified by the chiaroscuro of deep-set windows, decorative paneling, and building materials, provides much of the visual excitement of the Venetian landscape.

The Palazzo Pesaro is a remarkable example of the Classical style. Completed in 1710, nearly three decades after the death of its chief designer, Baldassare Longhena, it now houses Venice’s International Gallery of Modern Art, as well as the Museum of Oriental Art.