Paintings in detail - Vittore Carpaccio
Carpaccio – a really meaty-red paintings in detail
Vittore Carpaccio was a renaissance painter par excellence. We can still consider him rather craftsman, than an artist, probably. It was the times, when most of the artist became artists, as they were born into family of being one. Or, they were around "botteghe" and were taken into apprenticeship.
He was working to tell the stories and to bring to people (mostly people of Venice) mythological or historical situations, to memorize forever faces of Doges, miracles, and beliefs of Venice.
When he was a kid, in 1470, there was going on a Wars of the Roses in England, though he even did not know about it in these times. When he was a young adult, already busy with commissions in Venice, today's map of Northern Italy looked different.
A huge part of the North of Apennine peninsula was indeed covered with a rule of La Serenissima on the "East". Coming towards the left on the map, there was a city-state of Mantova, Milan, and the area ruled by the Duke of Savoy, and indeed the powerful enemy of La Serenissima, Republic of Genoa.
Every of these city states had a powerful rivalty against each other. The movement of goods, people, ideas, inventions were limited, and simply all was controlled with a careful restrictions. This might have caused, that in every of these city- states, there were artists working mainly for their home- area, therefore, also the artistic styles are often very specific for a demographic part.
In other words, if you will visit these cities and areas today, they look different, offer different culture, and least but not last, you will find there always a different local and traditional dishes and customs! That is to say, as we talk here about a painter Carpaccio, who borrowed his name to a famous appetizer invented in Venice in the 20th century.
If you came here to research a dish, not a painting, or even both, you can read more about the carpaccio appetizer here!
A portrait - engraving of Vittore Carpaccio, Public Domain
Vittore Carpaccio was born in Venice in ca. 1460 (probably) and died as 60 years old in 1525/26 in Venice, or in Istria ( ruled by Venice in those years).
Let´s have a look at his significant works, their style, situations depicted and particular details, that make him different from other painters of his era.Another article including Carpaccio, featuing as well Bellini and Rosalba Carriera here!
Carpaccio was often using the power of „scenography“ to create a space for any situation he is painting.
I have chosen this painting, because not only it is being a significant piece of Carpaccio, but can be a good piece of inspiration and reference for filmmakers, architects, set designers.
Carpaccio - Saint Augustine in his study, 1502, Public Domain
As you can see here, Carpaccio is presenting Augustine as a busy scholar, with all kinds of scientific references. Renaissance was a time when the power of wisdom and human determination became „popular“ and it was welcomed to present new ideas. Of course, the ideas that would still be in consensus with the philosophy of the church.
Augustine is here stuck with a moment of inspiration, gazing outside of the window, almost as if he sees there something. Books, manuscripts around might mean that he is working without caring how much mess he is creating! He is still and sitting at his work – desk, however amount of objects around him create a sort of movement. With his facial expression, the expectation of a change, or new ideas also reflects some sort of movement in the painting.
On the left side down, a bit amusing and cute detail, that is often represented around Venice, when presenting activities of Galleria Dell Accademia. This little white doggie represents calmness of the image, however, he also draws our attention back to Augustine. Dogs were usually in this era representing home, dedication, loyalty. In this case, as dogs were highly popular in Venice, it can be a cute little detail, the stamp of Carpaccio on it.
Carpaccio - Detail - Saint Augustine in his study, 1502, Public Domain
In this painting can be seen a demonstration of the colour palette, that might have inspired Mr Cipriani to create his famous dish – Carpaccio.
For me, these tones of warm „Siena“and soft light is also a colour of Venice, when you remember it covered in the morning or afternoon sun.
Color palette I have created based on Carpaccio - Saint Augustine in his study, 1502
About the „costume“. If you wanted to reconstruct the dress, that Saint Augustine is wearing, you would choose indeed natural fibres such as cotton, or muslin. As he appears here more „rational“ than idealised, matte layers of maybe hand – cloths would be great. What can have a bit of structure or sleeky shine is the red gown so that upper white cloth does not stick to it.
It may look like the red cloth creates soft moire.
What we don´t see here might be leather, canvas or velvet slippers, though cotton would be more agreeable here in his case. Saint Augustine has here a beard, and probably a cotton, velvet or silk cape high on the head.
Vittore Carpaccio - Two Venetian Ladies 1490 - 1495, Public Domain, Painting in Museo Correr, Venice
Carpaccio was great in depicting big mythological events, and historical moments of La Serenissima.
I don´t know why, but when I see these faces, I am guessing he was probably not that huge master of creating and interesting facial expressions. Moreover, these ladies look quite alike. Maybe he used the same model for these 2 Venetian ladies, or was using his own image to paint ladies sitting on terrasse?
This motif i quite amusing for me. Every time I see this painting, I have to remember hot and humid Venetian summer, when you simply want to disappear from the sun and maybe lie down into the shade, or jumping into ice-cold water.
This painting is a mystery. Are these 2 simply bored Venetian ladies, waiting while their husbands or lovers come back from the war or fishing? Why is there a dog with a letter, pulling aggressively a lish, while the other dog is a bit scared and a bit provocatively looking at us?
At first glance, the attention goes to the ladies, but when you look more carefully to this balcony, you will see also little „assistant“? This guy is wearing shoes that are significant for Venice´s dressing history. This type of shoes with high platforms was popularly worn by the courtesans. Sometimes the would wear them so high, that the needed somebody´s support when crossing Piazza. They definitely succeeded with drawing somebody´s attention! It is said, that such shoes were also practical since the streets were full of not only reflection of the sunshine on the stones and mud.
Then, there is also a couple of birds... Suddenly, this balcony is quite crowded. Should I read symbolically every bird that is there?
Anyhow it is, it is also a precious record, of how might Venetian be dressed, or how their leisure moment would look like.
If willing to reconstruct or suggest these dresses, all fine and nice materials would be used here. Either soft cotton, white muslin or silk for the inner camise that we see also in the sleeve details.
Decorated brocade would be good for the upper part of the dress. For the skirt, pleated silk, muslin or soft cotton would be used for the skirt, which would support also the „summer“ mood that we see here. Accessories are lines of pearls in dark blue/ greenish tones. Elaborated hairstyle and hats referring to „doge´s hat“ are worn. Though they might have been created from hair, additional hair or even from the fabric shaped into this form.
Vittore Carpaccio- Hunting on the Lagoon - 1490, Public Domain. Painting in J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles, CA, US
We often see „vedute“ of Venice, showing its ethereal canals, palaces. This painting is my favourite because it brings us to what Venetian lagoon really is. Shallow waters, movement of people on boats, hunting for food from the „gifts „ of the water or the sky. These were the beginnings of Venice, and sometimes, actually human history. Sometimes we might think that food is something that we for sure have. However, it is precious, if we are able to have enough food or water in order to have a healthy humble life.
We see in the painting as well the example of how might have looked the former settlement in Venetian lagoon. This type – of building houses on wooden piles placed in mud is not only used in Venice. Sometimes, we can find this unusual housing in different parts of the world.
It is always beautiful to head from Venice´s centre to lagoon on a small boat or even to observe it from the public water bus. The lagoon has a special mixture of fauna and flora. With the water level, that is culminating up and down every ca 5 hours, land in these shallow parts of Lagoon is underwater daily and then part of the day without water. It is spectacular to see birds on their long legs walking like hunters and looking for small fish.
Vittore Carpaccio- Hunting on the Lagoon - detail 1490, Public Domain. Painting in J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles, CA, US
Connection of water, Venice, sea and river are visible, if also visiting small villages in Veneto. There has been a great connection of crafts, movement of goods right from Canal Grande to villages such as Dolo.
Carpaccio created here a pleasant and calm situation featuring „hunters, all nicely fitting together. In case of costumes, if built in our times, we would simply choose kinds of cotton in different grammages, and silk for tights for men. This is a good example, even a simple dressing, of Renessaince dressing of Venice.
Opposite to often depicted Florence´s style in Renassaince dressing, men´s chamises – blouses – are longer and less elaborated, than in Florence. Here, they simply create an upper and almost whole dress, accompanied by tights. Colour of thighs in Venice( but also in different Apennine cities or city-states) would refer to being part of some guild, „club“ or family or guild. Just as we wear today branded shoes or phone cases with a visible logo.
Vittore Carpaccio - Miracle of The Holy Cross at Rialto ca 1496, Gallerie dell´ Accademia, Venice
This painting was commissioned by the Organization based in Scuola Grande San Giovanni and Paolo, that can be visited also in our days. It will truly bring you back in time, and a good thing is not to see Venice only from „outside“.
As I was told by Jelena Ivansic, Responsabile of Marketing in Scuola Grande San Giovanni Evangelista, the cycle of these painting was pure marketing. The Scuola possessed a „Relic of the Cross“, and it was needed to highlight and to demonstrate its importance. This Relic of the cross was donated to Scuola by French soldier Philippe de Mezieres, chancellor of Cyprus and Jerusalem at the end of 14th century.
Why was Relic important? Relics or religious objects were for cities important if they wanted to demonstrate their religious power. Also, it had another effect. These places were often visited by pilgrims, trying to get closer to anything material „as a proof“ connected to the history of their faith.
Whether these items were true, I am not in a position to name it. However, it was an incredible cultural phenomenon. Since medieval times, all through the renaissance era, I would dare to say, these were also roots of our modern tourism. Visiting places, one believes is important and taking a recommendation from the same - thinking lads. Different is, that people in those times had a truly huge desire to visit those places and to get as close as possible to relics. They wanted to be transformed somehow. Not only to have a tick in a bucket list.
Carpaccio’s painting dates to circa 1494-1496 In these years, not everyone was able to read. A way, how to do a „storytelling“ was to supply churches and church organization with explicit images, which would demonstrate faithful citizens, why they actually should visit a church and why they belong to the particular community. This is why churches are filled with fantastic works of art. Not because priests were an art- fans ( not only) but because paintings, sculptures, engravings were serving such as visual language.
Carpaccio was „hired“ to paint the cycle that would depict the very situation when a Madman is healed through The Relic of The Cross, which is held by Patriarch of Grado – Francesco Querini. From the cycle, I have chosen this painting, as it shows all kinds of characters in the city and how the zone of Rialto looked like in the past.
We need to quite search for the cross and it is not visible on first sight.
So we´ve got here Patriarch, definitely numerous numbers of Venetian nobility, priests, but also simply walkers by, coming from all corners of Veneto, or having Venice as their crossroads on a way to Istanbul, Jerusalem, Cyprus, Malta, Zadar...
If you were an opera director, this is a perfect painting to take inspiration from. For costume speaking, many types of fabrics can be used for different characters, that we see. Probably more „important“ and elaborate should be a group around Madman, with some really great soft cotton, silk, muslin and a good piece of Burano lace. For different groups that are present, cotton, through velvets, brocade, pieces of fur for the headpieces, would bring us to this situation.
With silhouettes, all kinds of Renassaince silhouettes can be found here, from longer chamise of Venice to more tight and longer visible feet of Central Italy, and also silhouettes and details from another country of Europe, whose merchants or statesmen appear here. Some of the more specific costumes can be found on the left side down, however, we can't see the face of who might be some sort of nobility or even a prince! If we saw his face, probably we would be too enchanted and then we will not be focused on the situation with the Madman and Relic of The Cross.
If you search for perfect fabrics, make sure to have a look at Venice´s historical production Bevilacqua.
What is particularly nice, it shows like this situation appears, thanks to tiny persons gazing from the windows behind Rialto Bridge.
Scenography speaking, we´ve got here palaces with numerous chimneys imported from East, and former wooden Rialto bridge, indeed filled with shops on both sides, just as it is today. Another small detail – pulleys on facades of palaces. Venice´s houses have sometimes tiny crooked stairways, and big pieces of furniture have to be even in our days sometimes gotten up like this!
What is naturally not missing here, is a furry white doggie. And here, I would really like if Carpaccio had a dog like that, or it was his secret joke to insert to his paintings. So whether you are directing opera or a movie with such a scene, the little white dog must sit on gondola too!
You can see this painting´s former location Scuola Grande San Giovanni Evangelista, with a reproduction to understand the message of the painting. You can indeed visit the room with the Relic of The Cross. Then, in Gallerie Dell Accademia you can see the cycle of these paintings reconstructed and brought to former fame by Save Venice Inc. And while you get there, I am sure you will see a dog passing by on a boat, I am not kidding!
If you would like to read more about conservation of this and many more paintings and also to contribute, visit Save Venice Inc.
I have chosen this painting because it is a great example of Carpaccio´s painting of the landscape. Another important fact, that it features one of the strongest symbols of Venice – winged Lion of Saint Mark.
Lion of Saint Mark is present almost everywhere in Venice, you will see it on the streets, works of art, maybe also as details of some new designs and naturally and infamously, on the souvenirs.
Venetians „adopted“ Mark as their Saint in the 9th Century, when the body of Saint was transferred with a trick from Alexandria to Venice. His relics are located until these days in Basilica di San Marco. Until this time, the patron Saint of Venice was Saint Theodore.
According to legend, Saint Mark arrived in Venice and happened to be on a boat in the Venetian lagoon. An angel appeared and said: “Pax Tibi Marce, Evangelista Meus. Hic requiescet corpus tuum." ("Peace be with thee, O Mark, my evangelist. Here thy body will rest.") .
Another legend says, that another ( or maybe the same angel) appeared, when the body of Saint Mark was transported to Venice, as a justification, that this is his home. Even we don´t have scientific proof of these events, the legend is a strong demonstration of how Venice needed a relic of a Saint, and it created an important artefact for Venice as a religious power, too. Lion with a book ( and also without! is to be found all around Venice and its former territories - in form of art, statues on columns, incorporated to the architecture, like stucco, or bas- reliefs.
The whole painting is like the essence of Venice and Carpaccio´s mastery. It is an iconic painting, carrying Venice´s proud heritage.You can have a look at the painting in a better detail here in the arts and culture google project.
When visiting Venice, the painting can be seen in Palazzo Ducale.
In this painting, also, you can see the famous colour palette of Carpaccio, a very notable element a signature for his paintings.
Maybe it does not feature the raw red- Bordeaux, but the whole feeling of the painting is warm, powerful, and breathtaking. Just as Venice is.
Vittore Carpaccio - Portrait of the Doge Leonardo Loredan 1501 - 05, Museo Correr, Venice
Another iconic painting for Carpaccio and also for Venetian renaissance is his painting of Doge Leonardo Loredan.
The portrait shows this doge almost as if he was alive, with soft wrinkles and steady and calm pose. When I walk in Venice, sometimes I observe people around and fix to those, that reminds me of somebody from the paintings. I can tell you, that you will find a few persons, that could perform this Doge, with a characteristic sharp jaw and clever nose like here.
Behind doge, picturesque and very calm vista of Venetian lagoon, what can be a view of Saint Giorgio. There is also a bell tower, which is possible to visit and offers a spectacular view.
Vittore Carpaccio - Portrait of the Doge Leonardo Loredan detail, lagoon, 1501 - 05, Museo Correr, Venice
Doge Leonardo Loredan (try to say it more times) ruled from 1501 to 1521, which means experiencing Venice in its best and the most powerful years. Naturally, it was not only cruising on gondolas and watch regattas, but these years are also running local wars and resisting forces of League of Cambrai, meaning fighting for the territories against the Papal State. After these years, Venice became strongly present as well on the surrounding mainland. Loredan had an excellent mind and his intellect was widely- recognized. He created an alliance with French and gained a local victories, ensuring control over numerous territories, and more, received an additional payments from the Papal State.
During the rule of Leonardo Loredan, Venice was in a war with Ottomans, their close and powerful neighbour behind the Adriatic sea, as Venice had a territories there as well. It ment heavy financial and geographical losses. However, a peace treaty was signed with the Turks, which had to ensure furthure peace with them.
Generally, Doge Leonardo Loredan is in the history of Venice respected Doge, that is also featured in other numerous paintings, embodying the force of La Serenissima.
In the painting, we can see here proud, respected Doge, dressed in a perfectly fitted brocade or damask cape including metallic gold threads. He is wearing a typical „corno“ hat, usually worn by Doges and having possibly origins in Asia. It is stiff, so had to be mounted on a wooden form created in brocade, velvet or damask. Maybe you would imagine for the ruler of the Maritime Republic something more decorative, right? However, his clothes are in perfect accord to philosophy around this role. He had to appear powerful, but always respecting word of his citizens, protecting their freedom, laws and enhancing their wealth.
Vittore Carpaccio - Portrait of the Doge Leonardo Loredan, detail of the cape, 1501 - 05, Museo Correr, Venice
Doge was notable to gain any wealth, during his „job“ it was rather a respectful position, that was given to him after series of sophisticated vocations by the member of the Venetian nobility and their representatives. He was to protect not only wealth, law and order in Venice, but also stood for its religious matters. Therefore, I use to say, that in the head of the doge, priest, pope, jury and president or king had to be.
Here again, the amazing skill of landscape painting of Carpaccio, while not drawing too much attention away from the person of Doge. And the almost photographic, yet still very poetical portrait of Doge. This particular painting is very often reproduced in art books. Naturally, it is a captivating piece of Carpaccio´s work, again with his memorable colour palette.
This enchanting portrait was as well restored thanks to Save Venice Inc and the generous decision of individuals who helped to have it restored to its today´s form. More info about the painting and restoration here.
You can see its reproduction in all good art books or when visiting Venice, in Museo Correr, right at Piazza San Marco. Which is about 50 metres, from where this portrait is imaginably sitting at.
Vittore Carpaccio - Two Venetian Ladies 1490 - 1495, Public Domain, Painting in Museo Correr, Venice. Collage.
I hope you enjoyed a journey into Venetian Renassaince in the brush strokes of Carpaccio.
He left us not only these remarkable paintings and stories depicted. He continued working and painting until his last days, in churches of Dalmatia, which was ruled by Venice. He left a significant mark and inspiration for another generation of Venetian painters.
I wanted to pick here something that would bring you closer to life in Venice in renaissance times. Something, that will be a great example of Carpaccio´s colours, his brush structure, his style.
I hope you will now remember him better and perhaps gained some new or fun ideas about art, or costumes if recreating them today.
It is a mixture of paintings, some more, some less famous, I picked for you, so you can see them online, in galleries or while walking around Venice.
It is not only framed pictures. It is a story of a creator, living in his era, in his many times not- easy times, within a particular cultural or political influence. And this is what I am looking for. Creators, facing his daily life issues and creating timeless pieces, that survived until our days.
Text: Karolinska Structures Of Venice 2021
Collage: Structures Of Venice from works of Public Domain
Paintings: Public Domain, WikiArt, Google Arts Project