Grimani
Encyclopedia
The Grimani family were a prominent Venetian
patrician
family, including three Doges of Venice. They were active in trade, politics and later the ownership of theatres and opera-houses. Notable members included:
The following structures are associated with the family:
, Venice, is a key work in the late history of Flemish
illuminated manuscript
s. It was produced in Ghent
and Bruges
ca 1515-1520 and by 1520 owned, though possibly not originally commissioned, by Cardinal Domenico Grimani. Several leading artists, including Simon Bening
, the Master of James IV of Scotland
and Gerard David
contributed some of their finest work to it.
The Grimani were dominant, owning what is now called the Teatro Malibran
, then called the Teatro San Giovanni Grisostomo
, as well as the San Benedetto theatre, and other houses. The Veniers owned La Fenice
, still the main opera house. The Vendramin
owned the important Teatro di San Luca or Teatro Vendramin, founded in 1622, later renamed the Teatro Apollo, and since 1875 called the Teatro Goldoni
, which still thrives as the city's main theatre for plays, now in a building of the 1720s. In the age of Carlo Goldoni
, the greatest Venetian dramatist, only the San Luca and the Malibran still put on spoken drama, and his desertion of the Grimani for the Vendramins at San Luca in 1752 was a major event in the theatrical history of the period, ushering in perhaps his finest period, in which as well as his comedies, he played a significant role in the development of the opera buffa
. The Vendramins, who had considerable direct involvement in the management of the theatre, had a sometimes uneasy relationship with him, arguing over money and the style of his plays, until he left for Paris in 1761, as a result of a dispute with his rival, Carlo Gozzi
. However the Vendramin did not take their involvement as far as Vincenzo Grimani
, who was a cardinal and opera librettist.
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
patrician
Patricianship
Patricianship, the quality of belonging to a patriciate, began in the ancient world, where cities such as Ancient Rome had a class of patrician families whose members were the only people allowed to exercise many political functions...
family, including three Doges of Venice. They were active in trade, politics and later the ownership of theatres and opera-houses. Notable members included:
- Domenico GrimaniDomenico GrimaniDomenico Grimani was a Venetian Churchman and Cardinal. From 1498 to 1517 he was Patriarch of Aquileia, and from 1517 to 1520 bishop of Ceneda. He became a cardinal in 1493. Grimani was not ordained a priest until 1498. After the election of Pope Julius II he became cardinal priest of San Marco...
: (1461-1523) (Cardinal Patriarch of Venice), owner of the Grimani Breviary (below). - Antonio GrimaniAntonio GrimaniAntonio Grimani was the Doge of Venice from 1521 to 1523.-Biography:He was born in Venice into a relatively poor family and in his early years he worked as a tradesman, soon becoming one of the most important ones in the city...
: Doge 1521-1523. - Vincenzo GrimaniVincenzo GrimaniVincenzo Grimani was an Italian cardinal, diplomat, and opera librettist.Grimani was born either in Venice or Mantua....
: CardinalCardinal (Catholicism)A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...
and operaOperaOpera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
librettist (1652- ) - Morosina Morosini-GrimaniMorosina Morosini-GrimaniMorosina Morosini-Grimani , was a Venetian patrician. She was the Dogaressa of Venice from 1595 to 1606.Morosina Morosini-Grimani was the daughter of Andrea Morosini, a wealthy Venetian patrician. She was married in 1560 to Marino Grimani...
(1545-1614) wife of Doge Marino Grimani - Domenico Grimani: (Bishop and Patriarch of Aquileia,1498-1517)
- Marino GrimaniMarino GrimaniMarino Grimani was an Italian Cardinal and papal legate. He was from an aristocratic Venetian family.He was elected bishop of Ceneda in 1508, when he was under age. He was patriarch of Aquileia in 1517....
: (Bishop and Patriarch of Aquileia, 1517-1529) - Marino GrimaniMarino Grimani (doge)Marino Grimani was the 89th Doge of Venice, reigning from April 26, 1595 until his death. Grimani's reign as doge was principally remembered for two reasons: the splendid celebrations for the coronation of his wife, Morosina Morosini; and the beginning of the quarrel with the papacy that...
: Doge 1595-1606. - Giovanni Grimani: translator of VitruviusVitruviusMarcus Vitruvius Pollio was a Roman writer, architect and engineer, active in the 1st century BC. He is best known as the author of the multi-volume work De Architectura ....
.# - Pietro GrimaniPietro GrimaniPietro Grimani was a Venetian statesman who served as the 115th Doge of Venice from June 30, 1741 until his death. Grimani was a cultured and learned man, who wrote poetry and counted among his acquaintances Isaac Newton, who he had met while serving as a diplomat in England...
, Doge 1741–1752.
The following structures are associated with the family:
- Villa Gazzotti GrimaniVilla Gazzotti GrimaniThe Villa Gazzotti Grimani is a Renaissance villa, an early work of architect Andrea Palladio, located in the village of Bertesina, near Vicenza in the Veneto region of northern Italy. In 1994 UNESCO designated Villa Gazzotti Grimani as part of the "Vicenza, City of Palladio" World Heritage Site...
: (Vicenza, by Palladio) - Palazzo GrimaniPalazzo GrimaniThe Palazzo Grimani di San Luca is a Renaissance building in Venice, Italy. It is located on the Rio di San Luca channel of the city, at the point in which it flows into the Canal Grande....
: (Grand Canal of VeniceGrand Canal of VeniceThe Grand Canal is a canal in Venice, Italy. It forms one of the major water-traffic corridors in the city...
) - Grimani Chapel: San Francesco della VignaSan Francesco della VignaSan Francesco della Vigna is a Roman Catholic church in the Sestiere of Castello in Venice, northern Italy.-History:Along with Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari, this is one of two Franciscan churches in Venice. The site, originally a vineyard , was donated by Marco Ziani in 1253 for construction of...
, Venice - Teatro MalibranTeatro MalibranThe Teatro Malibran, formerly known as the Teatro San Giovanni Grisostomo, is an opera house in Venice known for its operatic importance in the 17th and 18th centuries...
- see below
The Grimani Breviary
The Grimani Breviary, long in the library of San MarcoSt Mark's Basilica
The Patriarchal Cathedral Basilica of Saint Mark is the cathedral church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Venice, northern Italy. It is the most famous of the city's churches and one of the best known examples of Byzantine architecture...
, Venice, is a key work in the late history of Flemish
County of Flanders
The County of Flanders was one of the territories constituting the Low Countries. The county existed from 862 to 1795. It was one of the original secular fiefs of France and for centuries was one of the most affluent regions in Europe....
illuminated manuscript
Illuminated manuscript
An illuminated manuscript is a manuscript in which the text is supplemented by the addition of decoration, such as decorated initials, borders and miniature illustrations...
s. It was produced in Ghent
Ghent
Ghent is a city and a municipality located in the Flemish region of Belgium. It is the capital and biggest city of the East Flanders province. The city started as a settlement at the confluence of the Rivers Scheldt and Lys and in the Middle Ages became one of the largest and richest cities of...
and Bruges
Bruges
Bruges is the capital and largest city of the province of West Flanders in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is located in the northwest of the country....
ca 1515-1520 and by 1520 owned, though possibly not originally commissioned, by Cardinal Domenico Grimani. Several leading artists, including Simon Bening
Simon Bening
Simon Bening was a 16th century miniature painter of the Ghent-Bruges school, the last major artist of the Netherlandish tradition....
, the Master of James IV of Scotland
Master of James IV of Scotland
The Master of James IV of Scotland was a Flemish manuscript illuminator and painter most likely based in Ghent, or perhaps Bruges. Circumstantial evidence, including several larger panel paintings, indicates that he may be identical with Gerard Horenbout. He was the leading illuminator of the...
and Gerard David
Gerard David
Gerard David was an Early Netherlandish painter and manuscript illuminator known for his brilliant use of color.-Life:...
contributed some of their finest work to it.
Theatre entrepreneurs
All the main Venetian theatres were owned by important patrician families; combining business with pleasure in the Italian, if not European, city with the most crowded and competitive theatrical culture. When most opera in Europe was still being put on by courts, "economic prospects and a desire for exhibitionistic display", as well a decline in their traditional overseas trading, attracted the best Venetian families to invest in the theatre during the 17th century.The Grimani were dominant, owning what is now called the Teatro Malibran
Teatro Malibran
The Teatro Malibran, formerly known as the Teatro San Giovanni Grisostomo, is an opera house in Venice known for its operatic importance in the 17th and 18th centuries...
, then called the Teatro San Giovanni Grisostomo
Teatro San Giovanni Grisostomo
The Teatro San Giovanni Grisostomo, now known as the Teatro Malibran, is an opera house in Venice. Founded in 1678 by the Grimani family, it was founded primarily to provide entertainment for the aristocracy and to advance the social position of the Grimani family, and was not expected to be a...
, as well as the San Benedetto theatre, and other houses. The Veniers owned La Fenice
La Fenice
Teatro La Fenice is an opera house in Venice, Italy. It is one of the most famous theatres in Europe, the site of many famous operatic premieres. Its name reflects its role in permitting an opera company to "rise from the ashes" despite losing the use of two theatres...
, still the main opera house. The Vendramin
Vendramin
The Vendramin were a rich merchant family of Venice, Italy, who were among the case nuove or "new houses" who joined the patrician class when the Libro d'Oro was opened after the battle of Chioggia...
owned the important Teatro di San Luca or Teatro Vendramin, founded in 1622, later renamed the Teatro Apollo, and since 1875 called the Teatro Goldoni
Teatro Goldoni
The Teatro Goldoni is one of the major theatres and opera houses of Venice. Today it is the home of the Teatro Stabile del Veneto...
, which still thrives as the city's main theatre for plays, now in a building of the 1720s. In the age of Carlo Goldoni
Carlo Goldoni
Carlo Osvaldo Goldoni was an Italian playwright and librettist from the Republic of Venice. His works include some of Italy's most famous and best-loved plays. Audiences have admired the plays of Goldoni for their ingenious mix of wit and honesty...
, the greatest Venetian dramatist, only the San Luca and the Malibran still put on spoken drama, and his desertion of the Grimani for the Vendramins at San Luca in 1752 was a major event in the theatrical history of the period, ushering in perhaps his finest period, in which as well as his comedies, he played a significant role in the development of the opera buffa
Opera buffa
Opera buffa is a genre of opera. It was first used as an informal description of Italian comic operas variously classified by their authors as ‘commedia in musica’, ‘commedia per musica’, ‘dramma bernesco’, ‘dramma comico’, ‘divertimento giocoso' etc...
. The Vendramins, who had considerable direct involvement in the management of the theatre, had a sometimes uneasy relationship with him, arguing over money and the style of his plays, until he left for Paris in 1761, as a result of a dispute with his rival, Carlo Gozzi
Carlo Gozzi
Carlo, Count Gozzi was an Italian playwright.Born in Venice, he came from an old Venetian family from the Republic of Ragusa...
. However the Vendramin did not take their involvement as far as Vincenzo Grimani
Vincenzo Grimani
Vincenzo Grimani was an Italian cardinal, diplomat, and opera librettist.Grimani was born either in Venice or Mantua....
, who was a cardinal and opera librettist.