San Cassiano (Venice)
Encyclopedia
San Cassiano is a 14th century Roman Catholic church located in the San Polo
sestiere
of the Italian city of Venice
. A church has stood on the site since 726 with the present building dedicated to Saint Cassian of Imola
being consecrated in 1376 and re-modelled during the 17th century. It has a plain exterior with several adjacent buildings overlapping it. Its interior however is richly decorated in a Baroque style
and the church houses three paintings by the Italian artist Tintoretto
, including The Crucifixion of Christ painted in 1568 which the art critic John Ruskin
described as, "the finest [example of a Crucifixion painting] in Europe".
The San Cassiano altarpiece
, painted for this church by Antonello da Messina
, was the first major example of oil painting
in the city. It disappeared from the church in the 17th century and was cut into sections; the remaining known pieces are re-united in Vienna
.
The church is located on the Campo San Cassiano, site of the world's first public opera house
, east of the Rialto Bridge
and is open to visitors Tuesday-Saturday mornings.
, the patron saint of musicians and music. Over the centuries there have been several reconstruction projects, including one following a fire in 1106, and a major rebuild which commenced in 1350. This building was consecrated in 1376 and re-modelled in the early 17th century to give it its current appearance which dates from 1663. A large campanile
, 43 metres (141.1 ft) high, was added to the church in the 13th century, though its rugged style suggests that it may have been a guard tower which was acquired by the church.
In 1509, the funeral procession of Catherine Cornaro
, the former queen of Cypress and wealthy Venetian noblewoman, began at San Cassiano. From here it crossed a floating bridge to the church of Santi Apostoli
where she was buried in the Cornaro family chapel.
belfry
. On the side facing the water is a door which formerly had a porch (portico
), a feature which was demolished in the 19th century. The church is typically described as having the appearance of a "big box" with buildings close by and overlapping on several sides. Unlike many churches in Venice it has no facade
and overall the exterior is plain and unadorned. A feature which may possibly have been retained from the original church is the door jamb
s or doorposts, which date back to the Byzantine era. Entry to the church is usually through a side door in the wall facing the Campo San Cassiano.
, also in Venice. The ceiling of the church was painted by a follower of Giambattista Tiepolo named Costantino Cedini and has recently been restored. In 1746 Abbot Carlo del Medico commissioned a chapel which is located on the left-hand side of the church. It contains an altarpiece dating to 1763 and a ceiling fresco, both by the artist Giambattista Pittoni
.
and The Crucifixion, all of which were completed between 1565-68. The art critic John Ruskin described the latter as, "the finest [example of a Crucifixion painting] in Europe" and noted its particularly interesting perspective which Ruskin said gave the viewer the impression that they were "lying full length on the grass, or rather among the brambles and luxuriant weeds". Tintoretto's Resurrection was painted in defiance of the Council of Trent
's demand that all depictions of the resurrection
feature a standing, rather than hovering, Christ figure.
The Sicilian artist Antonello da Messina
was commissioned by Pietro Bon to paint an altarpiece
for the church. Completed between 1475–76, his Sacra Conversazione
was one of the earliest appearances of oil in the city's artworks. It brought a style of altarpiece that would be imitated by other Venetian artists such as Giovanni Bellini
, Giorgione
and Vivarini
, establishing a template that would be used all the way through to Titian
. San Cassiano's altarpiece disappeared from the church sometime during the 17th century and reappeared in the private collection of the Austrian Archduke Leopold William where it was attributed to Giovanni Bellini. After being removed from Venice the altarpiece was split into a number of fragments. Only three of these were found and these are now in the Kunsthistorisches Museum
in Vienna
, Austria
.
The church also contains an early 18th century painting of the Martyrdom of San Cassiano by Antonio Balestra
. It depicts the saint being attacked by school children, an act which explains why Saint Cassian of Imola is the patron saint
of school teachers.
San Polo
San Polo is the smallest of the six sestieri of Venice, northern Italy, covering 86 acres along the Grand Canal. It is one of the oldest parts of the city, having been settled before the ninth century, when it and San Marco formed part of the Realtine Islands...
sestiere
Sestiere
A sestiere is a subdivision of certain Italian towns and cities. The word is from sesto, or sixth; and is thus used only for towns divided into six districts. The best-known example are the sestieri of Venice, but Ascoli Piceno, Genoa, Milan and Rapallo, for example, were also divided into sestieri...
of the Italian city of 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...
. A church has stood on the site since 726 with the present building dedicated to Saint Cassian of Imola
Saint Cassian of Imola
Cassian, or Saint Cassian of Imola, or Cassius was a Christian saint of the 4th century. He was the Bishop of Brescia.Little is known about his life, although the traditional accounts converge on some of the details of his martyrdom...
being consecrated in 1376 and re-modelled during the 17th century. It has a plain exterior with several adjacent buildings overlapping it. Its interior however is richly decorated in a Baroque style
Baroque architecture
Baroque architecture is a term used to describe the building style of the Baroque era, begun in late sixteenth century Italy, that took the Roman vocabulary of Renaissance architecture and used it in a new rhetorical and theatrical fashion, often to express the triumph of the Catholic Church and...
and the church houses three paintings by the Italian artist Tintoretto
Tintoretto
Tintoretto , real name Jacopo Comin, was a Venetian painter and a notable exponent of the Renaissance school. For his phenomenal energy in painting he was termed Il Furioso...
, including The Crucifixion of Christ painted in 1568 which the art critic John Ruskin
John Ruskin
John Ruskin was the leading English art critic of the Victorian era, also an art patron, draughtsman, watercolourist, a prominent social thinker and philanthropist. He wrote on subjects ranging from geology to architecture, myth to ornithology, literature to education, and botany to political...
described as, "the finest [example of a Crucifixion painting] in Europe".
The San Cassiano altarpiece
San Cassiano Altarpiece
The San Cassiano Altarpiece is a painting by the Italian Renaissance master Antonello da Messina, dating to 1475-1476. Commissioned for the church of San Cassiano in Venice, it is now housed in the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna...
, painted for this church by Antonello da Messina
Antonello da Messina
Antonello da Messina, properly Antonello di Giovanni di Antonio was an Italian painter from Messina, Sicily, active during the Italian Renaissance...
, was the first major example of oil painting
Oil painting
Oil painting is the process of painting with pigments that are bound with a medium of drying oil—especially in early modern Europe, linseed oil. Often an oil such as linseed was boiled with a resin such as pine resin or even frankincense; these were called 'varnishes' and were prized for their body...
in the city. It disappeared from the church in the 17th century and was cut into sections; the remaining known pieces are re-united in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
.
The church is located on the Campo San Cassiano, site of the world's first public opera house
Teatro San Cassiano
The Teatro San Cassiano or Teatro di San Cassiano in Venice was the first public opera house when it opened in 1637. The theatre takes its name from the neighbourhood where it was located, the parish of San Cassiano near the Rialto. It was a stone building owned by the Venetian Tron family...
, east of the Rialto Bridge
Rialto Bridge
The Rialto Bridge is one of the four bridges spanning the Grand Canal in Venice, Italy. It is the oldest bridge across the canal, and was the dividing line for the districts of San Marco and San Polo.- History :...
and is open to visitors Tuesday-Saturday mornings.
History
The earliest church on this site was built in 726 and dedicated to Saint CeciliaSaint Cecilia
Saint Cecilia is the patroness of musicians and Church music because as she was dying she sang to God. It is also written that as the musicians played at her wedding she "sang in her heart to the Lord". St. Cecilia was an only child. Her feast day is celebrated in the Roman Catholic, Anglican,...
, the patron saint of musicians and music. Over the centuries there have been several reconstruction projects, including one following a fire in 1106, and a major rebuild which commenced in 1350. This building was consecrated in 1376 and re-modelled in the early 17th century to give it its current appearance which dates from 1663. A large campanile
Campanile
Campanile is an Italian word meaning "bell tower" . The term applies to bell towers which are either part of a larger building or free-standing, although in American English, the latter meaning has become prevalent.The most famous campanile is probably the Leaning Tower of Pisa...
, 43 metres (141.1 ft) high, was added to the church in the 13th century, though its rugged style suggests that it may have been a guard tower which was acquired by the church.
In 1509, the funeral procession of Catherine Cornaro
Catherine Cornaro
Nobil Donna Catherine Cornaro was Queen of Cyprus from 1474 to 1489 and declared a "Daughter of Saint Mark" in order that Venice could claim control of Cyprus after the death of her husband, James II .-Family:She was born in Venice in 1454 and was the daughter of a well-known and powerful family of...
, the former queen of Cypress and wealthy Venetian noblewoman, began at San Cassiano. From here it crossed a floating bridge to the church of Santi Apostoli
Santi Apostoli, Venice
The Chiesa dei Santi Apostoli di Cristo , commonly called San Apostoli, is a 7th century Roman Catholic church located in the Cannaregio sestiere of the Italian city of Venice. It is one of the oldest churches in the city and has undergone numerous changes since its foundation. The present building...
where she was buried in the Cornaro family chapel.
Exterior
The church has a 13th century campanile which was modified shortly after with the addition of a GothicGothic architecture
Gothic 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....
belfry
Bell tower
A bell tower is a tower which contains one or more bells, or which is designed to hold bells, even if it has none. In the European tradition, such a tower most commonly serves as part of a church and contains church bells. When attached to a city hall or other civic building, especially in...
. On the side facing the water is a door which formerly had a porch (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...
), a feature which was demolished in the 19th century. The church is typically described as having the appearance of a "big box" with buildings close by and overlapping on several sides. Unlike many churches in Venice it has no facade
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"....
and overall the exterior is plain and unadorned. A feature which may possibly have been retained from the original church is the door jamb
Door jamb
A doorjamb is the vertical portion of the frame onto which a door is secured. The jamb bears the weight of the door through its hinges, and most types of door latches and deadbolts extend into a recess in the doorjamb when engaged, making the "true" and strength of the doorjambs vitally important...
s or doorposts, which date back to the Byzantine era. Entry to the church is usually through a side door in the wall facing the Campo San Cassiano.
Interior
In contrast to the plain exterior, the church's interior is highly decorated in the Baroque style. It has an altar by Heinrich Meyring and Nardo. Meyring is notable for the large altar he produced for the church of San MoisèSan Moisè
The Chiesa di San Moisè is a church in Venice, northern Italy. It is dedicated to Moses as, like the Byzantines, the Venetians tended to canonise Old Testament prophets. It also honours Moisè Venier, who paid for it to be rebuilt in the 9th century. The elaborate Baroque facade is covered in...
, also in Venice. The ceiling of the church was painted by a follower of Giambattista Tiepolo named Costantino Cedini and has recently been restored. In 1746 Abbot Carlo del Medico commissioned a chapel which is located on the left-hand side of the church. It contains an altarpiece dating to 1763 and a ceiling fresco, both by the artist Giambattista Pittoni
Giambattista Pittoni
Giambattista Pittoni was an Italian painter of the late-Baroque or Rococo period, active mainly in his native Venice....
.
Paintings
The chancel of San Cassiano houses three paintings by Tintoretto who was a former parishioner of the church. These are The Resurrection, The Descent Into LimboHarrowing of Hell
The Harrowing of Hell is a doctrine in Christian theology referenced in the Apostles' Creed and the Athanasian Creed that states that Jesus Christ "descended into Hell"...
and The Crucifixion, all of which were completed between 1565-68. The art critic John Ruskin described the latter as, "the finest [example of a Crucifixion painting] in Europe" and noted its particularly interesting perspective which Ruskin said gave the viewer the impression that they were "lying full length on the grass, or rather among the brambles and luxuriant weeds". Tintoretto's Resurrection was painted in defiance of the Council of Trent
Council of Trent
The Council of Trent was the 16th-century Ecumenical Council of the Roman Catholic Church. It is considered to be one of the Church's most important councils. It convened in Trent between December 13, 1545, and December 4, 1563 in twenty-five sessions for three periods...
's demand that all depictions of the resurrection
Resurrection of Jesus in Christian art
The Resurrection of Jesus has long been central to Christian faith and Christian art, whether as a single scene or as part of a cycle of the Life of Christ. In the teachings of the traditional Christian churches, the sacraments derive their saving power from the passion and resurrection of Christ,...
feature a standing, rather than hovering, Christ figure.
The Sicilian artist Antonello da Messina
Antonello da Messina
Antonello da Messina, properly Antonello di Giovanni di Antonio was an Italian painter from Messina, Sicily, active during the Italian Renaissance...
was commissioned by Pietro Bon to paint an altarpiece
Altarpiece
An altarpiece is a picture or relief representing a religious subject and suspended in a frame behind the altar of a church. The altarpiece is often made up of two or more separate panels created using a technique known as panel painting. It is then called a diptych, triptych or polyptych for two,...
for the church. Completed between 1475–76, his Sacra Conversazione
Sacra conversazione
In art, a sacra conversazione or sacred conversation is a depiction of the Virgin and Child amidst a group of saints in a relatively informal grouping, as opposed to the more rigid and hierarchical compositions of earlier periods...
was one of the earliest appearances of oil in the city's artworks. It brought a style of altarpiece that would be imitated by other Venetian artists such as Giovanni Bellini
Giovanni Bellini
Giovanni Bellini was an Italian Renaissance painter, probably the best known of the Bellini family of Venetian painters. His father was Jacopo Bellini, his brother was Gentile Bellini, and his brother-in-law was Andrea Mantegna. He is considered to have revolutionized Venetian painting, moving it...
, Giorgione
Giorgione
Giorgione was a Venetian painter of the High Renaissance in Venice, whose career was cut off by his death at a little over thirty. Giorgione is known for the elusive poetic quality of his work, though only about six surviving paintings are acknowledged for certain to be his work...
and Vivarini
Vivarini
Vivarini is the surname of a family of painters from Murano , who produced a great quantity of work in Venice and its neighborhood in the 15th century, leading on to that phase of the school which is represented by Carpaccio and the Bellinis....
, establishing a template that would be used all the way through to Titian
Titian
Tiziano Vecelli or Tiziano Vecellio Tiziano Vecelli or Tiziano Vecellio Tiziano Vecelli or Tiziano Vecellio (c. 1488/1490 – 27 August 1576 better known as Titian was an Italian painter, the most important member of the 16th-century Venetian school. He was born in Pieve di Cadore, near...
. San Cassiano's altarpiece disappeared from the church sometime during the 17th century and reappeared in the private collection of the Austrian Archduke Leopold William where it was attributed to Giovanni Bellini. After being removed from Venice the altarpiece was split into a number of fragments. Only three of these were found and these are now in the Kunsthistorisches Museum
Kunsthistorisches Museum
The Kunsthistorisches Museum is an art museum in Vienna, Austria. Housed in its festive palatial building on Ringstraße, it is crowned with an octagonal dome...
in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
.
The church also contains an early 18th century painting of the Martyrdom of San Cassiano by Antonio Balestra
Antonio Balestra
Antonio Balestra was an Italian painter of the Rococo period.Born in Verona, he first apprenticed there with Giovanni Zeffio. By 1690 he moved to Venice, where he worked for three years under Antonio Bellucci, then moved to Bologna and then to paint in Carlo Maratta's workshop in Rome. In 1694, he...
. It depicts the saint being attacked by school children, an act which explains why Saint Cassian of Imola is the patron saint
Patron saint
A patron saint is a saint who is regarded as the intercessor and advocate in heaven of a nation, place, craft, activity, class, clan, family, or person...
of school teachers.