"Venetian School" at Gallerie dell'Accademia
Lorenzo Veneziano, Polittico Lion con l'Annunciazione (c. 1356-1372)
| Lorenzo Veneziano was an influential Italian painter from Venice during the 14th century, known for contributing to the Gothic style in Venetian painting. This work is a polyptych (multi-paneled altarpiece) depicting the Annunciation. It highlights his mastery of religious iconography, with the central panel often portraying the Virgin Mary. His use of color and attention to detail marked a shift toward more expressive and human-centered religious imagery in Venetian art during that period. |
Master of Ceneda, Incoronazione della Vergine in Paradiso (c. 1439-1484)
| The "Coronation of the Virgin in Paradise" by the Master of Ceneda is a painting depicting the Coronation of the Virgin Mary in Paradise. This artwork reflects the Gothic style typical of the 14th and 15th centuries, with vibrant colors and intricate detailing. The central theme is the crowning of the Virgin by Christ, surrounded by angels and saints. This partial image of the painting features angels playing a variety of musical instruments common during that time, including (L to R) zither, vielle, zither, organ, harp, tambourine, and lute. The music adds to the celestial atmosphere of the scene, creating a harmonious and joyful celebration of the Virgin's coronation. |
Titian, The Presentation of the Virgin at the Temple (1534-1538)
| "The Presentation of the Virgin at the Temple" is a large-scale painting depicting the young Virgin Mary being presented at the temple, a story from apocryphal texts. Commissioned by the Scuola Grande di Santa Maria della Carità in Venice—a building later incorporated into the Galleria dell’Accademia where the work now hangs—it reflects the Venetian Renaissance's grandeur and Titian's mastery in combining religious narrative with detailed architecture and vibrant color. The composition's monumental scale and expressive figures showcase Titian’s artistic maturity and his innovative approach to religious subjects. |
| Titian's "Pieta" is one of his final works, completed around 1576, intended for his tomb. The painting is notable for its dark, emotional tone and deep spiritual symbolism, reflecting the artist's confrontation with mortality and his personal plea for divine mercy. The composition features the Virgin Mary cradling the dead Christ, with Saint Jerome and Mary Magdalene nearby. The expressive brushwork and dramatic lighting mark a significant departure from Titian's earlier works, emphasizing his late style and his profound religious and emotional concerns. |
Tintoretto, Miracle of the Slave (1548)
| This work depicts a dramatic scene where St. Mark intervenes to save a slave from torture after he refused to renounce his Christian faith. Commissioned for the Scuola Grande di San Marco in Venice, the painting exemplifies Tintoretto’s dynamic composition, masterful use of light and shadow, and energetic figures. The work is celebrated for its theatricality and vibrant expression, characteristic of Tintoretto's distinctive style during the Venetian Renaissance. |
Paolo Veronese, Marriage of Saint Catherine (1565-1570)
| The painting describes the spiritual marriage of Catherine and the Infant as a solemn ritual. Dressed in sumptuous sixteenth-century clothes, the saint walks up the steps towards the altar to the notes of the music being played by the angels on the instruments also typical in the sixteenth century (two lutes in angels' hands and one viol reasting on the steps). Catherine's ascent, however, is a spiritual event: Christ shows her the palm of martyrdom and the crown of her heavenly triumph. Originally placed on the high altar of the church of Santa Caterina in the convent of the Augustinian nuns, this altarpiece provided the sisters with a model of virtue and union with Christ. |
Paolo Veronese, Venice Receiving Homage from Hercules and Ceres (1575)
| Originally the ceiling panel from the offices of the Magistrato alle Biade in the Doge's Palace, this work uses oil on canvas to depict Venice as a crowned figure, receiving homage from Hercules and Ceres - two ancient mythological gods that symbolize strength and fertility, respectively. Their presence suggests Venice's reliance on both physical power and agricultural prosperity. |
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