The eyewear museum houses one of the most original collections of this invaluable accessory, from the medieval times to the present day.
Displayed in the rooms of the Palazzo Cosmo in Pieve di Cadore (province of Belluno), this exhibition takes visitors on a journey through the history, techniques, art and fashion of this invaluable tool and invites them to listen to the story of a great tradition of the Cadore valleys.
Glasses have been manufactured here for more than one hundred years and this activity has grown, acquiring important world-class status.
The first part of the exhibition focuses on the theme of the dawn and evolution of glasses and focuses on everything lenses have meant for man. The collection ranges from the first models without arms to those made famous by cinema actors, with displays of frames from the 17th century, sunglasses from the 18th century, pince-nez spectacles and face à main glasses studded with precious stones along the way.
The collections include real treasures and artistically crafted objects such as cases, fans crafted to conceal eyeglasses, telescopes, opera glasses and magnifying glasses. There is a section dedicated to both Chinese and Japanese spectacles, the materials and shapes of which are linked to Oriental traditions. The last part of the tour includes optical instruments; here the magic lanterns will certainly catch your eye.
The second part of the museum, on the other hand, recounts the development of the eyewear industry in the province of Belluno from the end of the 14th century. Historical pictures, original objects and documents recount the development of the Cadore optical industry in its first decades. The itinerary begins in 1878 when the Frescura and Lozza families set up the company, establishing the first lens factory in a mill with water-powered machinery.
Info
Tel. 0435 32953
museo.occhiale@alice.it
