Palazzo Foscari
Encyclopedia
Ca' Foscari, the palace of the Foscari family, is a Gothic
building on the waterfront of the Grand Canal in Venice, Italy. Built by the doge
Francesco Foscari
in 1453, is now the main seat of Ca' Foscari University of Venice.
The architect of the palace was Bartolomeo Bon
.
in 1429 from Bernardo Giustinian
, in order to make it the residence of the vice-captain of the Republic, Gianfrancesco Gonzaga
; at that time the palace looked very different from now: it was made of 2 towers and a lower central block. As Gonzaga perhaps never lived there, the palace was used to give hospitality to illustrious guests of the Republic, including kings and diplomats.
In 1439 the House of the two Towers was given to another captain, Francesco Sforza
. The palace was always considered as the headquarters of the Venetian Republic, also because it could be easily approached by the Bucintoro. In 1447 Francesco Sforza betrayed the Republic and he was deprived of the residence.
In 1453 the Republic of Venice regained possession of the palace and sold it by auction to the Doge
of the time, Francesco Foscari
; he had the palace destroyed and rebuilt in late Venetian gothic
style; the building was chosen by the doge for its position on the Grand Canal. Foscari immediately set about rebuilding the palace in a manner befitting his station: he moved the site of the new palace forward on to the bank of the Grand Canal. Buying and rebuilding the palace for himself meant for the doge affirming his political and military role: he actually represented the continuity of the military successes of that period, lasted 30 years, and was the promoter of the Venetian expansion on mainland
. The huge new palace, can hardly have been finished when Foscari was disgraced in 1457 and retired to his new home to end his days.
" .The central arcades of the second floor are closely modelled on the façade loggia
of the Doge's Palace. The great central window arcades
light the huge halls behind, flanked by side wings of smaller rooms lit by single windows. The structure is one of the most imposing buildings of the city and its external courtyard is the biggest courtyard of a private house after the one of the Doge's Palace. The main entrance was the one on the canal because commerce on water was the most important activity in Venice
and because the main routes were on water; that's why the façade
on the water side is always more beautiful and decorated than the one on the street. This façade overlooking the Grand Canal is characterized by a rhythmic sequence of arch
es and windows; this style, emulated throughout the city, can be identified through its use of pointed arches and carved window heads. On the top of every single column we can find the quatrefoil
patterns; the gothic capitals are adorned with foliage, animals and faces. On the top of the gothic window there's also a marble frieze
with a helmet surmounted with a spread lion which reminds the role of the doge
as the captain of the republic; at each side of the central helmet we can find two putti
holding a shield
which represents the Foscari's coat of arms
with the winged lion, symbol of Venice.
along the waterfront, with the ground-floor portico
for loading and unloading merchandise. The portico led into a great hall
used for displaying armour and for business negotiations, with storerooms and offices on either side and a kitchen at the back. The living quarters were upstairs, with the rooms leading off great T-shaped central room; a well and an open staircase were placed in the courtyard
. There were low towers at each end of the façade
. The House of the two Towers too used to have this structure, before Francesco Foscari
decided to destroy it and rebuild it in Gothic style
.
of Ca' Foscari is today the main entrance of the building and has been restored in 2008 by young graduated in the local university.
The portal is made of Istrian marble; of rectangular shape, it is surmounted by a lunette; on its perimeter it is decorated with chequered patterns. The coat of arms inside the lunette
is composed of a central blazon
and three putti
(two at each side and one on the top); inside the blazon there is the winged lion of St. Mark holding an open book.
In 1797, with the arrival of Napoleon I
, the families' blazons were abolished, so they were hidden or taken off. Often the blazons were covered with a coat of whitewash, such as in the case of the coat of arms
of this portal.
. On that occasion Scarpa designed:
a floating wooden structure known as la machina is placed (on this structure the Venetian authorities sit and look at the race); this also the spot where the arrival line is set and where the prize-giving takes place.
) of the palace.
The most relevant features of the rooms are represented by:
In 1979 a fire destroyed part of the room and consequently the architect Valeriano Pastor restored the room and the boiserie.
In 2004 the room was restored once more, this time as part of the general restoration of the entire building. The craftsmen who had worked with Carlo Scarpa
were called upon for the restoration of the boiserie and it was on this occasion that the chairs now present in the room were made.
restored various parts of the university, including the great hall
.
In 1956 Scarpa was asked to return to Ca' Foscari to transform the great hall into a lecture hall
, and on this occasion he created the boiserie
.
was commissioned by Agostino Lanzillo (the rector of the University at that time) to restore various parts of the university, including the great hall. Before the intervention of the architect, the space now occupied by the great hall was used to house a museum of the Faculty of Economics.
Scarpa's project for the great hall included:
was asked to return to Ca' Foscari to transform the great hall
into a lecture hall
.
Scarpa removed the student tribune
and realized the boiserie
, using part of the same wood employed for the student gallery; the boiserie is both a connection and a separation between the room and the corridor; its sliding cloth-covered frames are used to conceal the room and when they're closed they remind the ogive
of the gothic window. The image of the gothic window is mirrored on the glass of the boiserie, with a particular light effects.
was commissioned to decorate the great hall Mario Baratto in 1936.
The painting portrays a series of allegorical figures:
; they both attended the Academy of fine arts of Venice and they worked together in the field of design and town planning; he was assistant of Arturo Martini
at the Academy, then he started teaching scenography at University IUAV of Venice
. Deluigi was asked to decorate a room on the first floor of Ca' Foscari palace; afterwards the painting was moved to the second floor, in the great hall Mario Baratto.
De Luigi passed through different styles; he got over cubism
in 1936, till he embraced abstract art
in the 1950s.
The painting portrays a philosopher among his students.
Italian Gothic architecture
The Gothic architecture appeared in Italy in the 12th century. Italian Gothic always maintained peculiar characteristic which differentiated its evolution from that in France, where it had originated, and in other European countries...
building on the waterfront of the Grand Canal in Venice, Italy. Built by the doge
Doge
Doge is a dialectal Italian word that descends from the Latin dux , meaning "leader", especially in a military context. The wife of a Doge is styled a Dogaressa....
Francesco Foscari
Francesco Foscari
Francesco Foscari was doge of Venice from 1423 to 1457, at the inception of the Italian Renaissance.-Biography:Foscari, of an ancient noble family, served the Republic of Venice in numerous official capacities—as ambassador, president of the Forty, member of the Council of Ten, inquisitor,...
in 1453, is now the main seat of Ca' Foscari University of Venice.
The architect of the palace was Bartolomeo Bon
Bartolomeo Bon
Bartolomeo Bon was an Italian sculptor and architect from Campione d'Italia.Together with his father Giovanni, he worked in Venice: they finished the decoration of the famous Gothic Ca' d'Oro and the marble door of the Basilica di Santa Maria dei Frari...
.
The House with the two Towers
The current building is not the original one: the previous building on the site was a Byzantine palace known as the "House with the two Towers", which was bought by the Republic of VeniceRepublic of Venice
The Republic of Venice or Venetian Republic was a state originating from the city of Venice in Northeastern Italy. It existed for over a millennium, from the late 7th century until 1797. It was formally known as the Most Serene Republic of Venice and is often referred to as La Serenissima, in...
in 1429 from Bernardo Giustinian
Giustiniani
Giustiniani is the name of a prominent Italian family which originally belonged to Venice, but also established itself subsequently in Genoa, and at various times had representatives in Naples, Corsica and in the islands of the Archipelago, where they had been the last Genoese rulers of the Aegean...
, in order to make it the residence of the vice-captain of the Republic, Gianfrancesco Gonzaga
Gianfrancesco I Gonzaga, Marquis of Mantua
thumb|right|Portrait of Gianfrancesco I Gonzaga, Ambras castle collection, [[Innsbruck]], [[Austria]].Gianfrancesco I Gonzaga was Marquess of Mantua from 1407 to 1444. He was also a condottiero.-Biography:...
; at that time the palace looked very different from now: it was made of 2 towers and a lower central block. As Gonzaga perhaps never lived there, the palace was used to give hospitality to illustrious guests of the Republic, including kings and diplomats.
In 1439 the House of the two Towers was given to another captain, Francesco Sforza
Francesco I Sforza
Francesco I Sforza was an Italian condottiero, the founder of the Sforza dynasty in Milan, Italy. He was the brother of Alessandro, with whom he often fought.-Early life:...
. The palace was always considered as the headquarters of the Venetian Republic, also because it could be easily approached by the Bucintoro. In 1447 Francesco Sforza betrayed the Republic and he was deprived of the residence.
In 1453 the Republic of Venice regained possession of the palace and sold it by auction to the Doge
Doge
Doge is a dialectal Italian word that descends from the Latin dux , meaning "leader", especially in a military context. The wife of a Doge is styled a Dogaressa....
of the time, Francesco Foscari
Francesco Foscari
Francesco Foscari was doge of Venice from 1423 to 1457, at the inception of the Italian Renaissance.-Biography:Foscari, of an ancient noble family, served the Republic of Venice in numerous official capacities—as ambassador, president of the Forty, member of the Council of Ten, inquisitor,...
; he had the palace destroyed and rebuilt in late Venetian gothic
Italian Gothic architecture
The Gothic architecture appeared in Italy in the 12th century. Italian Gothic always maintained peculiar characteristic which differentiated its evolution from that in France, where it had originated, and in other European countries...
style; the building was chosen by the doge for its position on the Grand Canal. Foscari immediately set about rebuilding the palace in a manner befitting his station: he moved the site of the new palace forward on to the bank of the Grand Canal. Buying and rebuilding the palace for himself meant for the doge affirming his political and military role: he actually represented the continuity of the military successes of that period, lasted 30 years, and was the promoter of the Venetian expansion on mainland
History of the Republic of Venice
The history of the Republic of Venice traditionally begins with its foundation at noon on Friday March 25, 421 by authorities from Padua who hoped to establish a trading-post in the region. This event was marked by the founding of the Venitian church of St. James...
. The huge new palace, can hardly have been finished when Foscari was disgraced in 1457 and retired to his new home to end his days.
Architectural features
Ca' Foscari is a typical example of the residence of the Venetian nobles and merchants. The ground floor was used as storeroom; the first and second floors were used as residence and place for parties and they are called "piani nobiliPiano nobile
The piano nobile is the principal floor of a large house, usually built in one of the styles of classical renaissance architecture...
" .The central arcades of the second floor are closely modelled on the façade loggia
Loggia
Loggia is the name given to an architectural feature, originally of Minoan design. They are often a gallery or corridor at ground level, sometimes higher, on the facade of a building and open to the air on one side, where it is supported by columns or pierced openings in the wall...
of the Doge's Palace. The great central window arcades
Arcade (architecture)
An arcade is a succession of arches, each counterthrusting the next, supported by columns or piers or a covered walk enclosed by a line of such arches on one or both sides. In warmer or wet climates, exterior arcades provide shelter for pedestrians....
light the huge halls behind, flanked by side wings of smaller rooms lit by single windows. The structure is one of the most imposing buildings of the city and its external courtyard is the biggest courtyard of a private house after the one of the Doge's Palace. The main entrance was the one on the canal because commerce on water was the most important activity in Venice
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...
and because the main routes were on water; that's why the façade
Facade
A facade or façade is generally one exterior side of a building, usually, but not always, the front. The word comes from the French language, literally meaning "frontage" or "face"....
on the water side is always more beautiful and decorated than the one on the street. This façade overlooking the Grand Canal is characterized by a rhythmic sequence of arch
Arch
An arch is a structure that spans a space and supports a load. Arches appeared as early as the 2nd millennium BC in Mesopotamian brick architecture and their systematic use started with the Ancient Romans who were the first to apply the technique to a wide range of structures.-Technical aspects:The...
es and windows; this style, emulated throughout the city, can be identified through its use of pointed arches and carved window heads. On the top of every single column we can find the quatrefoil
Quatrefoil
The word quatrefoil etymologically means "four leaves", and applies to general four-lobed shapes in various contexts.-In heraldry:In heraldic terminology, a quatrefoil is a representation of a flower with four petals, or a leaf with four leaflets . It is sometimes shown "slipped", i.e. with an...
patterns; the gothic capitals are adorned with foliage, animals and faces. On the top of the gothic window there's also a marble frieze
Frieze
thumb|267px|Frieze of the [[Tower of the Winds]], AthensIn architecture the frieze is the wide central section part of an entablature and may be plain in the Ionic or Doric order, or decorated with bas-reliefs. Even when neither columns nor pilasters are expressed, on an astylar wall it lies upon...
with a helmet surmounted with a spread lion which reminds the role of the doge
Doge
Doge is a dialectal Italian word that descends from the Latin dux , meaning "leader", especially in a military context. The wife of a Doge is styled a Dogaressa....
as the captain of the republic; at each side of the central helmet we can find two putti
Putto
A putto is a figure of an infant often depicted as a young male. Putti are defined as chubby, winged or wingless, male child figure in nude. Putti are distinct from cherubim, but some English-speakers confuse them with each other, except that in the plural, "the Cherubim" refers to the biblical...
holding a shield
Shield
A shield is a type of personal armor, meant to intercept attacks, either by stopping projectiles such as arrows or redirecting a hit from a sword, mace or battle axe to the side of the shield-bearer....
which represents the Foscari's coat of arms
Coat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
with the winged lion, symbol of Venice.
Differences between the House with the two Towers and Ca' Foscari
The practical function of Venetian palaces was different from the other Italian cities. The nobility did not earn their living from landowning as in other Italian city states at this period but from seafaring and trade. As a result their "fondaco" houses had to serve not only as residences but also as the headquarters for their trading ventures. The main features of these early palaces was the two-storey arcadeArcade (architecture)
An arcade is a succession of arches, each counterthrusting the next, supported by columns or piers or a covered walk enclosed by a line of such arches on one or both sides. In warmer or wet climates, exterior arcades provide shelter for pedestrians....
along the waterfront, with the ground-floor portico
Portico
A portico is a porch leading to the entrance of a building, or extended as a colonnade, with a roof structure over a walkway, supported by columns or enclosed by walls...
for loading and unloading merchandise. The portico led into a great hall
Great hall
A great hall is the main room of a royal palace, nobleman's castle or a large manor house in the Middle Ages, and in the country houses of the 16th and early 17th centuries. At that time the word great simply meant big, and had not acquired its modern connotations of excellence...
used for displaying armour and for business negotiations, with storerooms and offices on either side and a kitchen at the back. The living quarters were upstairs, with the rooms leading off great T-shaped central room; a well and an open staircase were placed in the courtyard
Courtyard
A court or courtyard is an enclosed area, often a space enclosed by a building that is open to the sky. These areas in inns and public buildings were often the primary meeting places for some purposes, leading to the other meanings of court....
. There were low towers at each end of the façade
Facade
A facade or façade is generally one exterior side of a building, usually, but not always, the front. The word comes from the French language, literally meaning "frontage" or "face"....
. The House of the two Towers too used to have this structure, before Francesco Foscari
Francesco Foscari
Francesco Foscari was doge of Venice from 1423 to 1457, at the inception of the Italian Renaissance.-Biography:Foscari, of an ancient noble family, served the Republic of Venice in numerous official capacities—as ambassador, president of the Forty, member of the Council of Ten, inquisitor,...
decided to destroy it and rebuild it in Gothic style
Venetian Gothic architecture
Venetian Gothic is a term given to an architectural style combining use of the Gothic lancet arch with Byzantine and Moorish architecture influences. The style originated in 14th century Venice with the confluence of Byzantine styles from Constantinople, Arab influences from Moorish Spain and early...
.
The portal
The portalPortal (architecture)
Portal is a general term describing an opening in the walls of a building, gate or fortification, and especially a grand entrance to an important structure. Doors, metal gates or portcullis in the opening can be used to control entry or exit. The surface surrounding the opening may be made of...
of Ca' Foscari is today the main entrance of the building and has been restored in 2008 by young graduated in the local university.
The portal is made of Istrian marble; of rectangular shape, it is surmounted by a lunette; on its perimeter it is decorated with chequered patterns. The coat of arms inside the lunette
Lunette
In architecture, a lunette is a half-moon shaped space, either filled with recessed masonry or void. A lunette is formed when a horizontal cornice transects a round-headed arch at the level of the imposts, where the arch springs. If a door is set within a round-headed arch, the space within the...
is composed of a central blazon
Blazon
In heraldry and heraldic vexillology, a blazon is a formal description of a coat of arms, flag or similar emblem, from which the reader can reconstruct the appropriate image...
and three putti
Putto
A putto is a figure of an infant often depicted as a young male. Putti are defined as chubby, winged or wingless, male child figure in nude. Putti are distinct from cherubim, but some English-speakers confuse them with each other, except that in the plural, "the Cherubim" refers to the biblical...
(two at each side and one on the top); inside the blazon there is the winged lion of St. Mark holding an open book.
In 1797, with the arrival of Napoleon I
Napoleon I
Napoleon Bonaparte was a French military and political leader during the latter stages of the French Revolution.As Napoleon I, he was Emperor of the French from 1804 to 1815...
, the families' blazons were abolished, so they were hidden or taken off. Often the blazons were covered with a coat of whitewash, such as in the case of the coat of arms
Coat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
of this portal.
The entrance hall
The entrance hall was restored in 1936 by the great Italian architect Carlo ScarpaCarlo Scarpa
Carlo Scarpa , was an Italian architect, influenced by the materials, landscape, and the history of Venetian culture, and Japan. Scarpa was also a glass and furniture designer of note....
. On that occasion Scarpa designed:
- the glass wall entrance, which reminds the window of the great hallGreat hallA great hall is the main room of a royal palace, nobleman's castle or a large manor house in the Middle Ages, and in the country houses of the 16th and early 17th centuries. At that time the word great simply meant big, and had not acquired its modern connotations of excellence...
on the second floor; - the benchesBench (furniture)A bench is a piece of furniture, on which several people may sit at the same time. Benches are typically made of wood, but may also be made of metal, stone, or synthetic materials. Many benches have arm and back rests; some have no back rest and can be sat on from either side. In public areas,...
(with the typical T-shape pattern present in other works by Carlo Scarpa); - the handrailHandrailA handrail is a rail that is designed to be grasped by the hand so as to provide stability or support. Handrails are commonly used while ascending or descending stairways and escalators in order to prevent injurious falls. Other applications include bathroom handrails—which help to prevent falls on...
of the nineteenth-century stairwayStairwayStairway, staircase, stairwell, flight of stairs, or simply stairs are names for a construction designed to bridge a large vertical distance by dividing it into smaller vertical distances, called steps...
; - the lamps
The view on the Grand Canal
Ca' Foscari palace is located on the widest bend of the Grand Canal, where during the Historical RegattaRegatta
A regatta is a series of boat races. The term typically describes racing events of rowed or sailed water craft, although some powerboat race series are also called regattas...
a floating wooden structure known as la machina is placed (on this structure the Venetian authorities sit and look at the race); this also the spot where the arrival line is set and where the prize-giving takes place.
Mario Baratto Hall
The great hall dedicated to Mario Baratto (a professor of Italian literature and antifascist, who died in 1984) is situated on the second floor (the piano nobilePiano nobile
The piano nobile is the principal floor of a large house, usually built in one of the styles of classical renaissance architecture...
) of the palace.
The most relevant features of the rooms are represented by:
- the interventions made by Carlo ScarpaCarlo ScarpaCarlo Scarpa , was an Italian architect, influenced by the materials, landscape, and the history of Venetian culture, and Japan. Scarpa was also a glass and furniture designer of note....
(the window, the boiseriePanellingPanelling is a wall covering constructed from rigid or semi-rigid components. These are traditionally interlocking wood, but could be plastic or other materials....
and the footboard); - the two frescos painted by Mario SironiMario SironiMario Sironi was an Italian modernist artist who was active as a painter, sculptor, illustrator, and designer. His typically somber paintings are characterized by massive, immobile forms.-Biography:...
e Mario Deluigi, which date back to 1936-1937; - the view on the largest bend of the Grand Canal.
In 1979 a fire destroyed part of the room and consequently the architect Valeriano Pastor restored the room and the boiserie.
In 2004 the room was restored once more, this time as part of the general restoration of the entire building. The craftsmen who had worked with Carlo Scarpa
Carlo Scarpa
Carlo Scarpa , was an Italian architect, influenced by the materials, landscape, and the history of Venetian culture, and Japan. Scarpa was also a glass and furniture designer of note....
were called upon for the restoration of the boiserie and it was on this occasion that the chairs now present in the room were made.
Interventions by Carlo Scarpa
In 1936 Carlo ScarpaCarlo Scarpa
Carlo Scarpa , was an Italian architect, influenced by the materials, landscape, and the history of Venetian culture, and Japan. Scarpa was also a glass and furniture designer of note....
restored various parts of the university, including the great hall
Great hall
A great hall is the main room of a royal palace, nobleman's castle or a large manor house in the Middle Ages, and in the country houses of the 16th and early 17th centuries. At that time the word great simply meant big, and had not acquired its modern connotations of excellence...
.
In 1956 Scarpa was asked to return to Ca' Foscari to transform the great hall into a lecture hall
Lecture hall
A lecture hall is a large room used for instruction, typically at a college or university. Unlike a traditional classroom with a capacity from one to four dozen, the capacity of lecture halls is typically measured in the hundreds...
, and on this occasion he created the boiserie
Panelling
Panelling is a wall covering constructed from rigid or semi-rigid components. These are traditionally interlocking wood, but could be plastic or other materials....
.
The first intervention
In 1936 Carlo ScarpaCarlo Scarpa
Carlo Scarpa , was an Italian architect, influenced by the materials, landscape, and the history of Venetian culture, and Japan. Scarpa was also a glass and furniture designer of note....
was commissioned by Agostino Lanzillo (the rector of the University at that time) to restore various parts of the university, including the great hall. Before the intervention of the architect, the space now occupied by the great hall was used to house a museum of the Faculty of Economics.
Scarpa's project for the great hall included:
- the window frame (made of glass and wood) in front of the 15th century gothic window (polifora);
- the wooden platform with the slab of marble with a Latin inscription and the two pedestalPedestalPedestal is a term generally applied to the support of a statue or a vase....
s; - the wooden tribuneTribune (architecture)Tribune is an ambiguous — and often misused — architectural term which can have several meanings. Today it most often refers to a dais or stage-like platform, or — in a vaguer sense — any place from which a speech can be prominently made.-Etymology:...
; - the marble portalPortal (architecture)Portal is a general term describing an opening in the walls of a building, gate or fortification, and especially a grand entrance to an important structure. Doors, metal gates or portcullis in the opening can be used to control entry or exit. The surface surrounding the opening may be made of...
with a Latin inscription.
The second intervention
In 1956 Carlo ScarpaCarlo Scarpa
Carlo Scarpa , was an Italian architect, influenced by the materials, landscape, and the history of Venetian culture, and Japan. Scarpa was also a glass and furniture designer of note....
was asked to return to Ca' Foscari to transform the great hall
Great hall
A great hall is the main room of a royal palace, nobleman's castle or a large manor house in the Middle Ages, and in the country houses of the 16th and early 17th centuries. At that time the word great simply meant big, and had not acquired its modern connotations of excellence...
into a lecture hall
Lecture hall
A lecture hall is a large room used for instruction, typically at a college or university. Unlike a traditional classroom with a capacity from one to four dozen, the capacity of lecture halls is typically measured in the hundreds...
.
Scarpa removed the student tribune
Tribune (architecture)
Tribune is an ambiguous — and often misused — architectural term which can have several meanings. Today it most often refers to a dais or stage-like platform, or — in a vaguer sense — any place from which a speech can be prominently made.-Etymology:...
and realized the boiserie
Panelling
Panelling is a wall covering constructed from rigid or semi-rigid components. These are traditionally interlocking wood, but could be plastic or other materials....
, using part of the same wood employed for the student gallery; the boiserie is both a connection and a separation between the room and the corridor; its sliding cloth-covered frames are used to conceal the room and when they're closed they remind the ogive
Ogive
An ogive is the roundly tapered end of a two-dimensional or three-dimensional object.-Applied physical science and engineering:In ballistics or aerodynamics, an ogive is a pointed, curved surface mainly used to form the approximately streamlined nose of a bullet or other projectile.The traditional...
of the gothic window. The image of the gothic window is mirrored on the glass of the boiserie, with a particular light effects.
Venezia, l'Italia e gli Studi, by Mario Sironi
Mario SironiMario Sironi
Mario Sironi was an Italian modernist artist who was active as a painter, sculptor, illustrator, and designer. His typically somber paintings are characterized by massive, immobile forms.-Biography:...
was commissioned to decorate the great hall Mario Baratto in 1936.
The painting portrays a series of allegorical figures:
- the student athlete (emblem of the Fascist University Groups) holding a book and a musket;
- the winged lion emblem of the Republic of VeniceRepublic of VeniceThe Republic of Venice or Venetian Republic was a state originating from the city of Venice in Northeastern Italy. It existed for over a millennium, from the late 7th century until 1797. It was formally known as the Most Serene Republic of Venice and is often referred to as La Serenissima, in...
; - the domeDomeA dome is a structural element of architecture that resembles the hollow upper half of a sphere. Dome structures made of various materials have a long architectural lineage extending into prehistory....
s of the St Mark's BasilicaSt Mark's BasilicaThe 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...
; - the allegory of Technique (the woman leaning against a wheel);
- the allegory of Medicine (the woman with the caduceusCaduceusThe caduceus is the staff carried by Hermes in Greek mythology. The same staff was also borne by heralds in general, for example by Iris, the messenger of Hera. It is a short staff entwined by two serpents, sometimes surmounted by wings...
); - Venice (the woman on the throne holding a plate depicting Ca' Foscari);
- the Homeland (which represents the victory of Italy against EthiopiaSecond Italo-Abyssinian WarThe Second Italo–Abyssinian War was a colonial war that started in October 1935 and ended in May 1936. The war was fought between the armed forces of the Kingdom of Italy and the armed forces of the Ethiopian Empire...
).
La scuola, by Mario Deluigi
Mario De Luigi was a close friend of Carlo ScarpaCarlo Scarpa
Carlo Scarpa , was an Italian architect, influenced by the materials, landscape, and the history of Venetian culture, and Japan. Scarpa was also a glass and furniture designer of note....
; they both attended the Academy of fine arts of Venice and they worked together in the field of design and town planning; he was assistant of Arturo Martini
Arturo Martini
Arturo Martini was a leading Italian sculptor between World War I and II. He moved between a very vigorous classicism and modernism. He was associated with public sculpture in fascist Italy, but later renounced his medium altogether.-Futurism:Martini seems to have been an active supporter of the...
at the Academy, then he started teaching scenography at University IUAV of Venice
University Iuav of Venice
Iuav University of Venice is a university located in Venice, northern Italy. It was founded in 1926 and is organized in 3 faculties....
. Deluigi was asked to decorate a room on the first floor of Ca' Foscari palace; afterwards the painting was moved to the second floor, in the great hall Mario Baratto.
De Luigi passed through different styles; he got over cubism
Cubism
Cubism was a 20th century avant-garde art movement, pioneered by Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque, that revolutionized European painting and sculpture, and inspired related movements in music, literature and architecture...
in 1936, till he embraced abstract art
Abstract art
Abstract art uses a visual language of form, color and line to create a composition which may exist with a degree of independence from visual references in the world. Western art had been, from the Renaissance up to the middle of the 19th century, underpinned by the logic of perspective and an...
in the 1950s.
The painting portrays a philosopher among his students.
The last restoration
The last restoration of Ca' Foscari and Ca' Giustinian (the palace adjacent to Ca' Foscari) had been committed to the firm Sacaim in 2004 and had the aim to fulfil the new requirements of safety and functionality and had to respect at the same time the ancient structure of the palace. The restoration lasted from January 2004 to summer 2006.See also
- Gothic architectureGothic architectureGothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....
- VeniceVeniceVenice 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...
- Palazzo GiustinianPalazzo GiustinianThe Palazzo Giustinian is a palace in Venice, northern Italy, situated in the Dorsoduro district and overlooking the Grand Canal next to Ca' Foscari. It is among the best examples of the late Venetian Gothic. The home was the final residence of Princess Louise Marie Thérèse of France.The edifice...
- University Ca' Foscari of Venice
- Francesco FoscariFrancesco FoscariFrancesco Foscari was doge of Venice from 1423 to 1457, at the inception of the Italian Renaissance.-Biography:Foscari, of an ancient noble family, served the Republic of Venice in numerous official capacities—as ambassador, president of the Forty, member of the Council of Ten, inquisitor,...
- DogeDogeDoge is a dialectal Italian word that descends from the Latin dux , meaning "leader", especially in a military context. The wife of a Doge is styled a Dogaressa....
- History of the Republic of VeniceHistory of the Republic of VeniceThe history of the Republic of Venice traditionally begins with its foundation at noon on Friday March 25, 421 by authorities from Padua who hoped to establish a trading-post in the region. This event was marked by the founding of the Venitian church of St. James...
- Carlo ScarpaCarlo ScarpaCarlo Scarpa , was an Italian architect, influenced by the materials, landscape, and the history of Venetian culture, and Japan. Scarpa was also a glass and furniture designer of note....