Thought I wouldtag thisin Italy as well,,
On our last trip to Greece we were fortunate enough to stumble upon an artist's cooperative in Chania, Crete, where we picked up some gorgeous unframed canvas paintings. We were able to carry these home (to Canada) in cardboard packing tubes in our luggage and have them mounted on wood frames here. The cooperative had many varied styles of paintings (most oil-based but a few watercolours).

I am curious if any fellow Fodorites have found similar-type places in Italy, specifically, in either Venice, Bologna, Cinque Terra, Florence, Siena, or Rome (cities I'll be visiting in May '10). The prices we paid for these original pieces were exceptionally low (20-90 euro) compared to a piece we saw on a separate trip to Provence (a small town in Les Beaux) which we fell in love with and purchased (and shipped home) after we were back in Canada.
Any other suggestions on the best places to purchase some original art (I'm not adverse to street vendors, but prefer to be able to roll and store it in my luggage as opposed to ship home) are also very welcome!
Jenn

I can't help you with Italy but have also purchased art in Hydra, Greece, Prague, Croatia and Budapest and Changi Mai, Thailand. Art is much less expensive than purchasing in the U.S. and it brings back great memories. I alway travel with a mailing tube for it. Good luck!

I'm not quite sure what budget you are looking at, but in here are a few suggestions for Rome: Nardecchia is probably the best dealer in prints - they have even have originals by 18th century engraver Piranesi hat are beautiful (Piazza Navona 25). Also try Casali - they have been at Piazza della Rotunda 81A/82 for over 100 years and specialize in 16-19th century drawings and engravings down to the inexpensive prints. You might also try the Mercato delle Stampe at Largo della Fontanella di Borghese (7-1 Mon-Sat). This market has antiquarian books and photos and some stalls of prints and some other art. Be prepared to bargin! I have some notes from Venice - I will post later.

Venice: Last year I purchased some lovely engravings and watercolors at Testolini Botega dell' Arte. It has art as well as art supplies. It is located on the Rio Bacino Orseolo behind Piazza San Marco. The address is San Marco 1756/58, but the sign out front says Testolini 1911.

You might also try Filippi Editore Venezia -Calle del Paradiso, 5763 - Castello - as well as Vio Arte (lithographs representing views of Venice) located at Calle della Mandola, 3627 - San Marco.

It is possible to take a train from le Cinque Terre to the artists' colony of Pietrasanta. Much of the work done by artists there is in marble (it is not far from Carrara) but there are also many painters. However, I wouldn't expect cheap prices.

http://www.italianvisits.com/tuscany...anta/index.htm

For more traditional seascape canvases, Portofino is filled with galleries selling them. In addition, on the via Roma, there is a serious (and very small) gallery of 20c Italian painting, Tournabuoni. The nearby town of Rapallo has similar galleries.

The antiques market in Chiavari is open air and various vendors have all kinds of art on paper and canvas, in addition to everything else you could possibly want in life. The market is on weekends, I believe the 2nd weekend of the month, but you need to double check.

In Rome, the via Margutta holds a number of art galliers and artists cooperatives (wouldn't expect any bargains).

Bologna has a number of art galleries, and if you do a simple google search for "Bologna art gallery", google will map them for you and give you websites.

You should be aware that if you're finding "original" art for 20 euros, you're more than likely buying assembly-line paintings produced in China by someone who never set foot in Europe.

http://preview.tinyurl.com/djn8lg

I forgot to add that if you to take the train to Camogli (just beyond Rapallo, and easier to get to than Portofino), you will find several artists working out of open-door studios and galleries, some along the lungomare, some near the lighthouse, and some on the commerical street just above the beach. What G.Hopper describes is more likely to be found in Portofino and Rapallo. The Camogli artists are local.