Page 113 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Venice & The Veneto

SAN POL O AND SANT A CROCE  111

Testament. The most striking Visitors’ CHeCklist
Upper Hall
paintings are The Temptation
Scarpagnino’s great staircase of Christ 7, which shows a Practical Information
(1544–6), decorated with two handsome young Satan offering Campo San Rocco. Map 6 D1.
vast paintings commemorating Christ two loaves of bread, and tel 041 523 48 64. open 9:30am–
the plague of 1630, leads to the Adoration of the Shepherds 8. 5:30pm daily. Closed 1 Jan,
Upper Hall. The biblical subjects Like The Temptation of Christ, 25 Dec. & ^ 9 = 7
on the walls and ceiling were the Adoration is composed in ∑ scuolagrandesanrocco.it
painted in 1575–81. The ceiling two halves, with a female Transport
paintings (viewed most figure, shepherds and ox 4 San Tomà.
comfortably with a hired mirror) below, and the Holy Family
portray scenes from the Old and onlookers above.
Testament. The three large The beautiful carvings below
central square paintings the paintings were added in the
represent Moses Striking Water 17th century by Francesco
from the Rock 4, The Miracle of Pianta. The allegorical figures
the Bronze Serpent 5 and The include (near the altar) a
Gathering of the Manna 6, all caricature of Tintoretto with his
alluding to the Scuola’s palette and brushes, which is
charitable aims in alleviating meant to represent Painting.
thirst, sickness and hunger Near the entrance to the Sala
respectively. All three paintings dell’Albergo you can see Titian’s
are crowded compositions with Annunciation. The easel painting The Flight into Egypt (1582–7) (detail)
much violent movement. The Christ Carrying the Cross is
vast wall paintings in the hall attributed to Giorgione, though
feature episodes from the New many believe it to be a Titian. Ground-Floor Hall
This final cycle, executed in
1582–7, consists of eight
paintings illustrating the life of
Mary. The series starts with an
Annunciation, and ends with an
Assumption, which was restored
some years ago. The tranquil
scenes of St Mary of Egypt 9,
St Mary Magdalene 0 and The
Flight into Egypt q, painted
when Tintoretto was in his late
sixties, are remarkable for their
serenity. This is portrayed most
lucidly by the Virgin’s isolated
spiritual contemplation in the
St Mary of Egypt. In all three
paintings, the landscapes,
rendered with rapid strokes,
The Temptation of Christ, 1578–81 (detail) play a major role.
Main
entrance Gallery Guide
The paintings, which
unfortunately are not well lit,
have no labels, but a useful
plan of the Scuola is available
(in several languages) free of
charge at the entrance. To see
the paintings in chronological
order, start in the Sala
dell’Albergo (off the Upper Hall),
followed by the Upper Hall and
finally the Ground-Floor Hall.

key
Wall paintings
Ceiling paintings
Upper Hall Ground-Floor Hall

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