When Peggy Guggenheim strode across the worn paving stones that led to the Palazzo Venier dei Leoni she knew she’d found her Venetian dream. This elegant white marble palace, constructed of Istrian stone, situated directly on Venice’s Grand Canal was ideal for her and for her modern art collection. Located in the district of Dorsodouro, close to the church of Santa Maria della Salute and the Accademia Art Gallery. So close to San Marco, and yet peacefully removed from the hustle and bustle. The Palace had an imposing waterfront entrance and spectacular views across the Grand Canal and up to the lagoon. From the late 1940s until the late 1970s this was Peggy Guggenheim’s home.

Palazzo Venier was built in the second half of the 18th century for the Venier family, although financial difficulties meant that it was never completed. The palazzo is a single storey building with two symmetrical…