The Museum is presenting a rare gift at the Kroměříž Castle—a painting by the Venetian master Pittoni

24 Jun 2026

A mini-exhibition in the climate-controlled display case at the Obrazárna gallery in Kroměříž Castle offers a comparison between Giovanni Battista Pittoni’s original painting “The Handing Over of the Keys to Peter” from the first half of the 18th century and a contemporary copy of it (on the left). Photo: MUO – Tereza Hrubá

If you visit the Archbishop’s Castle in Kroměříž during your summer vacation, don’t miss the unassuming but very interesting exhibit in the climate-controlled display case in the castle’s Picture Gallery. The Olomouc Museum of Art, which manages the archbishop’s collections, is exhibiting Giovanni Battista Pittoni’s (1687–1767) work “The Handing Over of the Keys to Peter” from the first half of the 18th century and offers a comparison with a later copy of the painting. Pittoni’s work was generously donated to the museum by Helena Neumannová from the collection of her father, the prominent Czech art historian Jaromír Neumann (1924–2001).

The Handing Over of the Keys to Peter, also known as Christ’s Commissioning of Peter, was created around 1735 by Giovanni Battista Pittoni, one of the leading figures of Venetian Rococo. He gained recognition during his lifetime not only in the Venetian region but also in Central Europe, where he was among the most sought-after artists. The painting is a typical example of his work, in which he embodied the Rococo style of Venetian painting from the first half of the 18th century. The colorful planes, almost devoid of chiaroscuro transitions, divide the space through drapery that seems to serve to more clearly distinguish the individual figures. This fresh and nimbly executed painting resembles an oil sketch, a so-called “pseudo-sketch,” which were very popular at the time and enjoyed great interest among collectors.

Next to the original, for comparison, is a later copy of this iconic work, which Archbishop Leopold Prečan purchased in 1937 from the Brno antique dealer Vladimír Seidl. Although this painting does not match the artistic quality of Pittoni’s Olomouc version, it offers a remarkable insight into how the original was interpreted by contemporary copyists and followers.

More about the exhibition

Giovanni Battista Pittoni (1687–1767), The Handing Over of the Keys to Peter, c. 1735, oil on canvas. MUO

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