Scuola Grande di San Giovanni Evangelista
Encyclopedia
The Scuola Grande di San Giovanni Evangelista is a confraternity
building located in the San Polo
sestiere
of the Italian city of Venice
. Founded in the 13th century by a group of flagellants it was later to become one of the five Scuole Grande
of Venice. These organisations provided a variety of charitable functions in the city as well as becoming patrons of the arts. The Scuola Grande di San Giovanni Evangelista is notable for housing a relic of the true cross
and for the series of paintings it commissioned from a number of famous Venetian artists depicting Miracles of the Holy Cross. No longer in the school, these came into public ownership during the Napoleonic era
and are now housed in the Accademia Gallery
. The scuola is open to visitors on a limited number of days, detailed on the official website.
In 1369 Filippo Maser, the Chancellor of the Kingdom of Jerusalem
and the Kingdom of Cyprus
, gave to the school a piece of the true cross
which it still owns to this day. The presence of this relic brought about a transformation and helped the scuola become a rich and powerful organisation, bringing in wealthy and powerful members to the confraternity, with their donations and bequests.
A reliquary
was constructed to house the relic and this was soon after connected with a miracle that reportedly took place in Venice during the period 1370-82. According to contemporary accounts, when accidentally dropped into a canal during a congested procession the relic did not sink but hovered over the water, evading those trying to save it. This continued until Andrea Vendramin
(grandfather of the only Vendramin doge
, also named Andrea
) dived in and retrieved it. This was the same Andrea who, as head of the scuola, had been presented with the relic in 1369. This miracle was later depicted by Vittorio Carpaccio, Gentile Bellini
and other artists in a series of paintings commissioned for the scuola. Nearly 200 years later the reliquary was the focal point of the Vendramin family portrait by Titian
, now in the National Gallery, London
, showing the prestige the events had given to the family.
During the Renaissance period the scuola was made into a Scuola Grande
under the control of Venice's Council of Ten
.
In 1485 the architect Pietro Lombardo
completed the school's most distinctive architectural feature, the outdoor atrium and gateway which separate the complex from the campo to which it adjoins. Shortly after, in 1498, the architect Mauro Codussi
completed work on a double staircase linking the upper and lower halls. It is illuminated by a mullioned window on the landing between the two flights of stairs, an element common to much of Codussi's work.
The final major architectural changes were made during the 18th century. Following the fall of the Venetian Republic in 1797 the schools were suppressed by a Napoleonic edict. However, during the 19th century San Giovanni Evangelista was one of the ones re-constituted.
. Though appearing harmonious the courtyard is the work of several different periods. The facade of the main scuola dates from the 1450s but incorporates two small reliefs from 1349. Lombardo's Renaissance screen comprises Corinthian pillars, a semi-circular pediment with St John's eagle and a frieze carved with foliage. This gateway was, until the school's dissolution, barred by double doors. The main door to the scuola was added in 1512 and features a lintel with kneeling figures. Opposite the buildings of the scuola stands the scuola's small church
also dedicated to St. John the Evangelist.
The atrium building is two stories high while behind this is the much larger three-story building which contains the large halls.
The upper floor is reached by Codussi's Scalone Monumentale (Great Staircase). Lit by round-headed windows it is domed and vaulted. The stairs lead to a large upper room, the Salone, which was redecorated by Giorgio Massari
in 1727. Beyond the Salone is the Oratory of the Cross where a piece of true cross is housed within a Gothic reliquary. Beyond the Oratory is the Sala Dell'Albergo which hosted the government meetings of the School.
A number of Venetian artists, including Pietro Perugino
, Vittore Carpaccio
, Gentile Bellini
, Giovanni Mansueti and Lazzaro Bastiani
, were commissioned to paint a number of canvasses for the Oratory of the Cross. Each one showed episodes of the story of the Relic of the Cross. Following the Napoleonic suppression these became federal property and in 1820 were moved to the Gallerie dell'Accademia where they can be seen today.
The canvas painted by Perugino has been lost, but the eight surviving paintings executed between 1496 and 1501, contain depictions of some of the most famous parts of Venice.
Though many paintings have been moved to other locations the school still houses some original artwork including Domenico Tintoretto
's The Crucifixion, signed and dated 1626. The Salone contains visions of the Apocalypse by Tiepolo
.
Confraternity
A confraternity is normally a Roman Catholic or Orthodox organization of lay people created for the purpose of promoting special works of Christian charity or piety, and approved by the Church hierarchy...
building located in the San Polo
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...
. Founded in the 13th century by a group of flagellants it was later to become one of the five Scuole Grande
Scuole Grandi of Venice
The Scuole Grandi were confraternity or sodality institutions in Venice, Italy. They were founded as early as the 13th century as charitable and religious organizations for the laity....
of Venice. These organisations provided a variety of charitable functions in the city as well as becoming patrons of the arts. The Scuola Grande di San Giovanni Evangelista is notable for housing a relic of the true cross
True Cross
The True Cross is the name for physical remnants which, by a Christian tradition, are believed to be from the cross upon which Jesus was crucified.According to post-Nicene historians, Socrates Scholasticus and others, the Empress Helena The True Cross is the name for physical remnants which, by a...
and for the series of paintings it commissioned from a number of famous Venetian artists depicting Miracles of the Holy Cross. No longer in the school, these came into public ownership during the Napoleonic era
Napoleonic Era
The Napoleonic Era is a period in the history of France and Europe. It is generally classified as including the fourth and final stage of the French Revolution, the first being the National Assembly, the second being the Legislative Assembly, and the third being the Directory...
and are now housed in the Accademia Gallery
Accademia
The Accademia is a museum gallery of pre-19th century art in Venice, northern Italy. Situated on the south bank of the Grand Canal, within the sestiere of Dorsoduro, it gives its name to one of the three bridges across the canal, the Ponte dell'Accademia, and to the boat landing station for the...
. The scuola is open to visitors on a limited number of days, detailed on the official website.
History
Originally founded in 1261, San Giovanni Evangelista is the second oldest scuola in Venice. Though scuola developed a primary meaning of "school", in Venice these organisations retain their medieval Latin meaning of confraternities, social organisations founded on spiritual principles. Their main buildings were typically used as meeting and assembly halls, and for the distribution of charity. The founders of San Giovanni were a confraternity of flagellants who took part in religious ceremonies, whipping their backs and spraying blood onto the pavements as they processed through the city. This practice was outlawed in the city of Venice in the same year the scuola was founded.In 1369 Filippo Maser, the Chancellor of the Kingdom of Jerusalem
Kingdom of Jerusalem
The Kingdom of Jerusalem was a Catholic kingdom established in the Levant in 1099 after the First Crusade. The kingdom lasted nearly two hundred years, from 1099 until 1291 when the last remaining possession, Acre, was destroyed by the Mamluks, but its history is divided into two distinct periods....
and the Kingdom of Cyprus
Kingdom of Cyprus
The Kingdom of Cyprus was a Crusader kingdom on the island of Cyprus in the high and late Middle Ages, between 1192 and 1489. It was ruled by the French House of Lusignan.-History:...
, gave to the school a piece of the true cross
True Cross
The True Cross is the name for physical remnants which, by a Christian tradition, are believed to be from the cross upon which Jesus was crucified.According to post-Nicene historians, Socrates Scholasticus and others, the Empress Helena The True Cross is the name for physical remnants which, by a...
which it still owns to this day. The presence of this relic brought about a transformation and helped the scuola become a rich and powerful organisation, bringing in wealthy and powerful members to the confraternity, with their donations and bequests.
Reliquary
A reliquary is a container for relics. These may be the physical remains of saints, such as bones, pieces of clothing, or some object associated with saints or other religious figures...
was constructed to house the relic and this was soon after connected with a miracle that reportedly took place in Venice during the period 1370-82. According to contemporary accounts, when accidentally dropped into a canal during a congested procession the relic did not sink but hovered over the water, evading those trying to save it. This continued until Andrea 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...
(grandfather of the only Vendramin 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....
, also named Andrea
Andrea Vendramin
Andrea Vendramin served as Doge of Venice, 1476-78, at the height of Venetian power, the only member of the Vendramin family to do so. His mother, Maria Michiel, and his wife Regina Gradenigo, both came from Dogal families...
) dived in and retrieved it. This was the same Andrea who, as head of the scuola, had been presented with the relic in 1369. This miracle was later depicted by Vittorio Carpaccio, Gentile Bellini
Gentile Bellini
Gentile Bellini was an Italian painter. From 1474 he was the official portrait artist for the Doges of Venice.- Biography :...
and other artists in a series of paintings commissioned for the scuola. Nearly 200 years later the reliquary was the focal point of the Vendramin family portrait by 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...
, now in the National Gallery, London
National Gallery, London
The National Gallery is an art museum on Trafalgar Square, London, United Kingdom. Founded in 1824, it houses a collection of over 2,300 paintings dating from the mid-13th century to 1900. The gallery is an exempt charity, and a non-departmental public body of the Department for Culture, Media...
, showing the prestige the events had given to the family.
During the Renaissance period the scuola was made into a Scuola Grande
Scuole Grandi of Venice
The Scuole Grandi were confraternity or sodality institutions in Venice, Italy. They were founded as early as the 13th century as charitable and religious organizations for the laity....
under the control of Venice's Council of Ten
Council of Ten
The Council of Ten, or simply the Ten, was, from 1310 to 1797, one of the major governing bodies of the Republic of Venice whose actions were often secretive. Although some sources may indicate that the Council of Ten was generally accepted in Venice, there was some opposition...
.
In 1485 the architect Pietro Lombardo
Pietro Lombardo
Pietro Lombardo was an Italian Renaissance sculptor and architect; born in Carona , he was the father of Tullio Lombardo and Antonio Lombardo....
completed the school's most distinctive architectural feature, the outdoor atrium and gateway which separate the complex from the campo to which it adjoins. Shortly after, in 1498, the architect Mauro Codussi
Mauro Codussi
Mauro Codussi was an Italian architect of the early-Renaissance, active mostly in Venice. The name can also be spelt Coducci. He was one of the first to bring the classical syle of the early renaissance to Venice to replace the prevalent Gothic style.Born near Bergamo about 1440, he is first...
completed work on a double staircase linking the upper and lower halls. It is illuminated by a mullioned window on the landing between the two flights of stairs, an element common to much of Codussi's work.
The final major architectural changes were made during the 18th century. Following the fall of the Venetian Republic in 1797 the schools were suppressed by a Napoleonic edict. However, during the 19th century San Giovanni Evangelista was one of the ones re-constituted.
Exterior
The school is defined externally by the open air atrium or courtyard, separated from the city by a marble screen of (1478-81) by Pietro LombardoPietro Lombardo
Pietro Lombardo was an Italian Renaissance sculptor and architect; born in Carona , he was the father of Tullio Lombardo and Antonio Lombardo....
. Though appearing harmonious the courtyard is the work of several different periods. The facade of the main scuola dates from the 1450s but incorporates two small reliefs from 1349. Lombardo's Renaissance screen comprises Corinthian pillars, a semi-circular pediment with St John's eagle and a frieze carved with foliage. This gateway was, until the school's dissolution, barred by double doors. The main door to the scuola was added in 1512 and features a lintel with kneeling figures. Opposite the buildings of the scuola stands the scuola's small church
San Giovanni Evangelista, Venice
The church of San Giovanni Evangelista is a 15th century religious building in the San Polo sestiere of the Italian city of Venice. It stands across a courtyard from the Scuola Grande di San Giovanni Evangelista.-History:...
also dedicated to St. John the Evangelist.
The atrium building is two stories high while behind this is the much larger three-story building which contains the large halls.
Interior
The school has a number of rooms. On the ground floor there is a large hall called La Sala Delle Colonne (The Hall of Columns). This was intended as a place where brothers and pilgrims could gather and is part of the original 14th century building. Today it is often used for exhibitions. There are two smaller rooms on the lower floor. These are the Sala Verde (the Green Room, a former warehouse and office) and the Sala Azzurra (the Blue Room, also used for administration).The upper floor is reached by Codussi's Scalone Monumentale (Great Staircase). Lit by round-headed windows it is domed and vaulted. The stairs lead to a large upper room, the Salone, which was redecorated by Giorgio Massari
Giorgio Massari
Giorgio Massari was a prominent late-Baroque Venetian architect. Among his masterpieces are the Chiesa dei Gesuati and the Palazzo Grassi-Stucky...
in 1727. Beyond the Salone is the Oratory of the Cross where a piece of true cross is housed within a Gothic reliquary. Beyond the Oratory is the Sala Dell'Albergo which hosted the government meetings of the School.
Art
Pietro Perugino
Pietro Perugino , born Pietro Vannucci, was an Italian Renaissance painter of the Umbrian school, who developed some of the qualities that found classic expression in the High Renaissance...
, Vittore Carpaccio
Vittore Carpaccio
Vittore Carpaccio was an Italian painter of the Venetian school, who studied under Gentile Bellini. He is best known for a cycle of nine paintings, The Legend of Saint Ursula. His style was somewhat conservative, showing little influence from the Humanist trends that transformed Italian...
, Gentile Bellini
Gentile Bellini
Gentile Bellini was an Italian painter. From 1474 he was the official portrait artist for the Doges of Venice.- Biography :...
, Giovanni Mansueti and Lazzaro Bastiani
Lazzaro Bastiani
Lazzaro Bastiani was an Italian painter of the Renaissance, active mainly in Venice.He was born in Padua. He is first recorded as a painter in Venice by 1460 in a payment for an altarpiece of San Samuele, for the Procuratori di San Marco. In 1462 he was paid at the same rate as Giovanni Bellini...
, were commissioned to paint a number of canvasses for the Oratory of the Cross. Each one showed episodes of the story of the Relic of the Cross. Following the Napoleonic suppression these became federal property and in 1820 were moved to the Gallerie dell'Accademia where they can be seen today.
The canvas painted by Perugino has been lost, but the eight surviving paintings executed between 1496 and 1501, contain depictions of some of the most famous parts of Venice.
- Vittore Carpaccio, Miracle of the Relic of the Holy Cross (The Healing of the Madman) (1494)
- Giovanni Mansueti, Miracle of the Relic of the Holy Cross in Campo San Lio (c. 1494)
- Lazzaro Bastiani, The Relic of the Holy Cross is offered to the Scuola Grande di San Giovanni Evangelista (c. 1494)
- Gentile Bellini, Procession of the True Cross (1496-1500)
- Gentile Bellini, Miracle of the Cross at the Bridge of S. Lorenzo (1500)
- Giovanni Mansueti, The Miraculous Healing of the Daughter of Benvegnudo of San Polo (c. 1505)
- Benedetto DianaBenedetto DianaBenedetto Diana was a companion of Carpacoio and Mansueti, who lived in the latter part of the 15th and early part of the 16th centuries. He was an inferior artist, and worked both in tempera and oils. He painted 'The Brethren distributing Alms,' in San Giovanni Evangelista, Venice; and he assisted...
, Miracle of the Relic of the Holy Cross (1505-1510)
Though many paintings have been moved to other locations the school still houses some original artwork including Domenico Tintoretto
Domenico Tintoretto
Domenico Robusti, also known as Domenico Tintoretto, was an Italian painter from Venetian. He grew up under the tutelage of his father, the renowned painter Jacopo Tintoretto.- Apprenticeship :Tintoretto was born at Venice....
's The Crucifixion, signed and dated 1626. The Salone contains visions of the Apocalypse by Tiepolo
Giovanni Battista Tiepolo
Giovanni Battista Tiepolo , also known as Gianbattista or Giambattista Tiepolo, was an Italian painter and printmaker from the Republic of Venice...
.