For the first time, a complete exhibition of Renaissance art, including several masterpieces, has travelled to Australia.
'Renaissance' - billed as a blockbuster event highlighting the genius, invention and exploration of the 15th and 16th century paintings held at the Accademia Carrara at Bergamo in northern Italy - is expected to draw thousands of visitors to the national capital.
The exhibition includes 71 works on loan from the Accademia Carrara museum and gallery which is undergoing restoration work.
While some pieces in the collection have been displayed in Europe and beyond, it is the largest number to travel outside the continent.
City of Bergamo culture and entertainment councillor Claudia Sartirani admits that lending the pieces to a nation so distant from their home near Milan caused some anxiety.
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Ms Sartirani, who travelled to Canberra for the exhibition's opening, said she was impressed by the preparedness and professionalism of the staff at the NGA.
"Now I can say this is a very big opportunity for our masterpieces to come here," she said.
The NGA's international paintings and sculpture acting senior curator, Lucina Ward, said the pieces had arrived in Canberra by multiple shipments to reduce the security risk.
Each piece had been accompanied door to door from Italy to Australia by its own courier and Italian curators had helped select pieces for the exhibition, Ms Ward said.
Raphael's Saint Sebastian and two of Bellini's Madonna and Child paintings are standouts in the exhibition.
"It really is the first time that (the Renaissance works have) been looked at in this depth and this quality here in Australia," Ms Ward said.
The ultramarine pigment derived from lapis lazuli imported from Afghanistan to Venice during the era produced bright deep-blue hues, contrasting with rich reds and gilded depictions, and these are featured in many pieces in the collection.
"Many of them look as though they were painted yesterday," Ms Ward said.
Some 29 saints are included in the collection, which dedicates a section to the 24 Madonna and Childs in the show.
The collection also marks the transition of artists using tempera as a medium on wooden panels to the use of oil paints on canvas.
The NGA's director, Ron Radford, said the paintings were Italy's "precious jewels" and the Bergamo collection was well known among scholars.
"These are the fragile, priceless works that millions of tourists around the world flock to see every year.
* The exhibition runs until April 9, 2012.
