The Chianciano Museum of Art[1] is a Museum in the centre of the thermal Town of Chianciano Terme, Tuscany, with collections of both contemporary and ancient art[2]. The Museum's collections have received praise from across the art world, and were recently described as 'impressive' by the New York Times [1] in an article that stressed the collection's historical importance and the 'intentionally non-linear structure of the Museum'. The Museum hosts the Biennale of Chianciano and the Chianciano International Award for Digital Art and Photography.
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The collections of the Museum are divided into five sections.
Contemporary Art[4]: The Museum has a large collection of contemporary art of various schools. The Art includes Abstract works by Tom Nash and Afro, realism by Francis Turner and Jincheng Liu, Outsider works by Albert Louden, works by Brian Wilshire, and numerous others.
Ancient Asiatic Art[5]: The Museum has over 100 works of ancient Asiatic art, including the Loose Collection. The collection includes a large number of statues, bowls, plates, stone carvings. Many of the pieces are of notable antiquity, the olders of which is a large 5000 year old amphora in perfect condition. The Museum has a number of works from 4th century Afghanistan which are particularly important as they show the Greek influence on Afghanistan to the extent that the works could be confused with western art, and they are also a rare testimony to the advanced greco-buddhist culture which thrived in Afghanistan at the time.
Drawings[6]: The collection consists of works dating from the 15th Century to contemporary times, including works by Paolo Cagliari 'Il Veronese', k.Ivanov, Rennato Guttuso, Giovanni Domenico Tiepolo, Maximilien Luce, Edvard Munch, Toulouse Lautrec, and more recent works by Francis Turner and members of the Royal Academy.
Etchings and Engravings: The Museum hosts a vast collection of original etchings and engravings which date back to the 16th Century. The works have been gathered over many years and originate from internationally renowned institutions and museums such as the Cincinnati Art Museum and the Metropolitan Museum, New York. The artists include: Albrecht Dürer, Francisco Jose de Goya, Rembrandt, and Piranesi.
Historical works[7]: Among the works of historical importance, the museum possesses works by Napoleon the third and by numerous other members of royal families across Europe, and an icon given by Pope Pius XII to Princess Margaret.
The Biennale of Chianciano[8] is a highlight of the Museum's calendar, held entirely in the Museum, with participants from all over the world.