Gallery 3: Saints
This last gallery looks at Venetian paintings that centered around saints. Saint Mark was the patron saint of Venice and having his remains increased Venice’s importance on the world stage. Venetians revered many saints and considered them the prime protectors of themselves and their city. Patrons encouraged works of art that showcased the protective nature of saints and ones that put saints on a metaphorical pedestal.
For example, Tintoretto’s Miracle of the Slave illustrates Saint Mark rescuing a slave from torture displaying themes of justice and holiness that represented Venice [1]. Tintoretto utilizes the effect of light in the painting to underscore the dichotomy between good and evil. Saint Mark, who is illuminated in the center of the painting with bright colors and an elegant halo, appears to be physically descending from heavens. The crowd is painted in darker colors to draw attention away from them and towards the holiness of Saint Mark and his miracle. Tintoretto depicts that good, holy citizens prevail in the end as they are under protection from the saints and heavenly figures [2].
In Bellini’s painting called Saint Jerome Reading made in 1505, Saint Jerome can be seen in the bottom right corner secluded in nature reading some type of religious text. It is evident by his wrinkles and gray hair that the Saint is very old, which depicts his imminent wisdom [3]. The Saint is placed in the corner to put more of an emphasis on the landscape and nature that surrounds him. The contrast in colors in both the background and foreground shows Bellini’s emphasis on his subject, but also shows the importance he puts on nature and landscape. Bellini’s places the Saint in this peaceful atmosphere to illustrate his seclusion and devotion to his religious studies.
Overall, saints were revered in Venetian culture and played an important role in artistic representations of the city. Patrons commissioned works that displayed saints as protectors of the city and works that encouraged citizens to maintain their religious connection with saints.
1. Jacopo Tintoretto, 1518 - 1594. probably 19th century. The Miracle of Saint Mark. Place: The National Gallery, London, Bequeathed by Lady Lindsay, 1913. https://library.artstor.org/asset/ANGLIG_10313766720.
2. Marx, David. “Miracle of the Slave.” Miracle of the Slave by Tintoretto. Accessed October 14, 2020. http://www.tintoretto.net/miracle-of-the-slave/.
3. Belting, Hans. "St. Jerome in Venice: Giovanni Bellini and the Dream of Solitary Life."I Tatti Studies in the Italian Renaissance 17, no. 1 (2014): 5-33. Accessed October 27, 2020. doi:10.1086/676482.