Feast in the House of Levi
Dublin Core
Title
Feast in the House of Levi
Description
Feast in the House of Levi was a replacement for the painting of an earlier work by Titian destroyed by the fire in 1571. [1] Originally Caliari had this painting name Lord's Last Supper and intended to be a monumental artwork for a religious commitment. However, he was forced to rename this painting to Feast in the House of Levi due to the investigation from Roman Catholic Inquisitions that they feel it is not appropriate to include dwarfs, drunken Germans, and such aristocratic cloth in a holy painting. [2] He was originally ordered to change the painting's details, but he changes the name instead. This painting was one of the most controversial Paolo Caliari's painting.
When the viewer first looks at this artwork, the massive three arches draw most of the attention. Those arches give us a scope of the magnificent buildings of Venice cityscape. Those arches were probably inspired by the Italian buildings of that time. [3] The details he emphasizes above the arches are incredible. The sunlight bounces off the golden engravings gives a vivid texture feel. When viewer shifts their attention to the center of the painting, they will see Jesus in the middle of the table with subtle light coming from his shimmering Biblical robe that contrasts with the background as a way to present his holy figure. The painter was trying to convey a sense of the dynamic in this painter through each character's animation. Every living creature in this art is in the middle of some actions, from talking to eating to walking around, allowing the viewer to feel the liveliness in this painting.
[1] Krén, Emil, and Daniel Marx. “Feast in the House of Levi”
n.d. Accessed September 30, 2020.https://www.wga.hu/html_m/v/veronese/06/8levi.html
[2] Gisolfi, Diana. "Veronese [Caliari], Paolo."
Grove Art Online. 2003; Accessed 30 Sep. 2020. https://www-oxfordartonline-com.proxy.lib.duke.edu/groveart/view/10.1093/gao/9781884446054.001.0001/oao-9781884446054-e-7000089003.
[3] Ginnybergs. “What’s in a Painting? Taking a Closer Look at Paolo Veronese’s Masterpiece: Feast in the House of Levi (c. 1573),” 2017. May 22. Accessed September 30, 2020. https://rhapsodyinwords.com/2017/05/22/whats-in-a-painting-taking-a-closer-look-at-paolo-veroneses-masterpiece-feast-in-the-house-of-levi-c-1573/.
When the viewer first looks at this artwork, the massive three arches draw most of the attention. Those arches give us a scope of the magnificent buildings of Venice cityscape. Those arches were probably inspired by the Italian buildings of that time. [3] The details he emphasizes above the arches are incredible. The sunlight bounces off the golden engravings gives a vivid texture feel. When viewer shifts their attention to the center of the painting, they will see Jesus in the middle of the table with subtle light coming from his shimmering Biblical robe that contrasts with the background as a way to present his holy figure. The painter was trying to convey a sense of the dynamic in this painter through each character's animation. Every living creature in this art is in the middle of some actions, from talking to eating to walking around, allowing the viewer to feel the liveliness in this painting.
[1] Krén, Emil, and Daniel Marx. “Feast in the House of Levi”
n.d. Accessed September 30, 2020.https://www.wga.hu/html_m/v/veronese/06/8levi.html
[2] Gisolfi, Diana. "Veronese [Caliari], Paolo."
Grove Art Online. 2003; Accessed 30 Sep. 2020. https://www-oxfordartonline-com.proxy.lib.duke.edu/groveart/view/10.1093/gao/9781884446054.001.0001/oao-9781884446054-e-7000089003.
[3] Ginnybergs. “What’s in a Painting? Taking a Closer Look at Paolo Veronese’s Masterpiece: Feast in the House of Levi (c. 1573),” 2017. May 22. Accessed September 30, 2020. https://rhapsodyinwords.com/2017/05/22/whats-in-a-painting-taking-a-closer-look-at-paolo-veroneses-masterpiece-feast-in-the-house-of-levi-c-1573/.
Creator
Paolo Caliari
Source
Krén, Emil , and Daniel Marx. “Feast in the House of Levi”
n.d. Accessed September 30, 2020. https://www.wga.hu/html_m/v/veronese/06/8levi.html.
Gisolfi, Diana. "Veronese [Caliari], Paolo."
Grove Art Online. 2003; https://www-oxfordartonline-com.proxy.lib.duke.edu/groveart/view/10.1093/gao/9781884446054.001.0001/oao-9781884446054-e-7000089003.
MacFall, Haldane. Feast in the House of Levi, 1911. http://www.law.harvard.edu/faculty/martin/art_law/feast_in_the_house_of_levi.htm. Paolo Veronese. 1571-73.
GINNYBURGES. “What’s in a Painting? Taking a Closer Look at Paolo Veronese’s Masterpiece: Feast in the House of Levi (c. 1573),” 2017. May 22. Accessed September 30, 2020. https://rhapsodyinwords.com/2017/05/22/whats-in-a-painting-taking-a-closer-look-at-paolo-veroneses-masterpiece-feast-in-the-house-of-levi-c-1573/.
EN. of Art Education “The Feast in the House of Levi (1573).”
Feast in the House of Levi, Paolo Veronese: Analysis. Accessed September 30, 2020. http://www.visual-arts-cork.com/famous-paintings/feast-in-the-house-of-levi.htm.
n.d. Accessed September 30, 2020. https://www.wga.hu/html_m/v/veronese/06/8levi.html.
Gisolfi, Diana. "Veronese [Caliari], Paolo."
Grove Art Online. 2003; https://www-oxfordartonline-com.proxy.lib.duke.edu/groveart/view/10.1093/gao/9781884446054.001.0001/oao-9781884446054-e-7000089003.
MacFall, Haldane. Feast in the House of Levi, 1911. http://www.law.harvard.edu/faculty/martin/art_law/feast_in_the_house_of_levi.htm. Paolo Veronese. 1571-73.
GINNYBURGES. “What’s in a Painting? Taking a Closer Look at Paolo Veronese’s Masterpiece: Feast in the House of Levi (c. 1573),” 2017. May 22. Accessed September 30, 2020. https://rhapsodyinwords.com/2017/05/22/whats-in-a-painting-taking-a-closer-look-at-paolo-veroneses-masterpiece-feast-in-the-house-of-levi-c-1573/.
EN. of Art Education “The Feast in the House of Levi (1573).”
Feast in the House of Levi, Paolo Veronese: Analysis. Accessed September 30, 2020. http://www.visual-arts-cork.com/famous-paintings/feast-in-the-house-of-levi.htm.
Publisher
© Web Gallery of Art
Krén, Emil , and Daniel Marx. “Feast in the House of Levi”n.d. Accessed September 30, 2020. https://www.wga.hu/html_m/v/veronese/06/8levi.html.
Krén, Emil , and Daniel Marx. “Feast in the House of Levi”n.d. Accessed September 30, 2020. https://www.wga.hu/html_m/v/veronese/06/8levi.html.
Date
1528-1588
Contributor
Emily Song
Format
Oil on canvas, 555 x 1280 cm
Type
Painting
Coverage
Gallerie dell'Accademia, Venice
Citation
Paolo Caliari, “Feast in the House of Levi,” ARTHIST 89S - Visual Culture of Venice - Fall 2020, accessed October 22, 2026, https://venice.dahvc.org/fall-2020/items/show/87.