GNAM - National Gallery of Modern Art

Overview

Located gracefully on the edge of Villa Borghese, the GNAM (Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Moderna) is Italy's absolute premier, massively comprehensive collection of 19th and 20th-century art. It provides a brilliantly shocking, highly refreshing visual break from Rome's endless ancient ruins and Renaissance churches.

Highlights

• The Neoclassical Palace: The museum itself is a staggering, brilliantly white, heavily columned masterpiece built specifically for the 1911 International Exhibition, fiercely dominating the lush green valley of Giulia.
• The Italian Masters: It securely holds the absolute definitive collection of the Macchiaioli (the Italian Impressionists), alongside fierce, wildly dynamic works by the Italian Futurists like Boccioni and Balla.
• International Titans: While heavily focusing on Italians, it brilliantly features massive, iconic works by Klimt (The Three Ages of Woman), Van Gogh, Monet, and Jackson Pollock.

History

Founded in 1883 immediately following the violent unification of Italy, the government aggressively mandated the creation of a massive national gallery specifically to violently prove to Europe that the newly formed Italian state was loudly producing brilliant contemporary art, not just leaning heavily on its ancient and Renaissance past.

Visitor Tips

• The Steps: The brilliantly wide, sweeping front steps of the museum are wildly popular with local art students sketching the massive statues in the sun.
• The Cafe: The museum boasts a deeply excellent, highly elegant outdoor cafe fiercely surrounded by the massive pines of Villa Borghese—perfect for a quiet espresso.