Scuola Grande di San Rocco. Guide to scuola san rocco in venice

It is impossible to list everything that I wanted to see in Venice. But there were separate points that became a mandatory item for me. And Scuola San Rocco is one of them. I became interested in this amazing building about six months before the trip, when at lectures at the Hermitage University for Foreign Arts in St. Petersburg, we were told about Tintoretto and scuol. But first things first.

What is Scuola San Rocco

By the consonance of the names, one might think that the Scuola of San Rocco is some kind of school. In fact, fraternities or charitable organizations were called scuols in medieval Venice. Accordingly, the scuola of San Rocco was the brotherhood of San Rocco (Saint Roch) and all this happened in the 16th century. This brotherhood was created in order to help the sick. And he needed his own building. Actually, this building has become one of the brightest and most unusual sights of Venice.

The building was built next to the Church of San Rocco, which I also recommend visiting. It is incredibly beautiful and contains the relics of St. Roch.

Interestingly, this brotherhood still exists today, and it is also engaged in charity work.

Paintings of the scuola of San Rocco

But the most interesting thing about the building is, of course, the absolutely fantastic murals inside. In short, the story is this: a competition was announced in which so many artists of such magnitude participated that the head is spinning from just reading the names. But Tintoretto won in it, who prepared not just a project, but also a finished painting - “St. Roch in glory." This painting took its place of honor in the skuol, and for the next 23 years (almost his entire life) the artist painted the building, and he did it virtually without payment, he was compensated for the cost of materials and food.

Scuola is truly dizzying! Largely because most of the paintings are on the ceiling. The halls are dark, the works are well illuminated, and in order to make it more convenient for visitors, you can take mirrors and a plan of the halls, which tells in detail and clearly where and what to look at.

It all starts from the first floor, where we entered from a sunny, hot street and found ourselves in a pleasant dark coolness. There are eight large-scale works dedicated to the Mother of God and the childhood of Christ. There are stone benches along the walls where you can sit and admire the work.

Then you can (and, of course, need to) climb up the luxurious staircase to the second floor, to a huge hall with twelve paintings on the walls and twenty-one on the ceiling! All of these are biblical stories. Raise your head up - and goosebumps run from this beauty! It is interesting that the whole hall becomes a kind of frame for paintings, that is, they do not hang, as in a museum, separately, but seem to be intertwined, grow into the body of the building. It's amazing!

The third hall is quite small, but it is considered the pearl of the scuola. It is called the Albergo Hall, it is a square hall, in the center of which, on the ceiling, is placed the very first work by Tintoretto for this building.

In addition to paintings, stone altars on both floors of the building are of interest. It is also worth paying attention to the carved wooden sculptures on the second floor. They were made by the woodcarver Francesco Pianta, it is curious that art historians do not fully agree on what kind of figures they are and what exactly they symbolize.

Practical information

Scuola is open daily, except for New Years and Christmas. Opening hours from 9:30 to 17:30, the ticket office closes half an hour earlier.

The most convenient way to get to the scuola is from the San Toma vaporetto station, you need to walk about 3 minutes.

A ticket costs 10 EUR, you can also take an audio guide for 3 EUR, it is in Russian (and in English, of course, too), but we didn’t take it, so I can’t say anything about the quality.

Old healing balm, which quickly and effectively helps with various skin diseases, itching, inflammation, allergies, psoriasis, dermatitis, ulcers, burns, etc. prevents skin roughness, restores its structure, protects against UV rays. The balm was based on medicinal herbs, with which, according to legend, Saint Rocco (San Rocco) treated patients with the plague that raged in Europe in the Middle Ages.

Name balm SAN ROCCO associated with the name of a saint known throughout Italy, who is depicted on the package.

San Rocco, or Saint Roch is still revered by the Roman Catholic Church as a healer of the plague that constantly devastated Europe. San Rocco is considered the patron saint of travelers, pharmacists, doctors, gardeners, hospitals, prisoners, dogs and livestock; patronizes also sick with plague, cholera, rabies, leg diseases. According to legend, Rocco was born approximately in the 30-40s of the 14th century in Montpellier (France) in the family of the city's governor. Even at birth, the Lord marked him with a red cross on his chest, which later turned out to be miraculous. After the death of his parents, the young man distributed all his property to the poor and, in the clothes of a pilgrim (pilgrim), went to Italy, where the plague was raging at that time. During his pilgrimage around the country, Rocco treated those who fell ill with the plague with healing herbs and overshadowed them with the sign of the cross. And the plague receded before him - the sick miraculously recovered. Having cured hundreds of dozens of people in this way, Rocco, due to an open wound on his leg, contracted the plague himself and went to die in the forest in an abandoned hut. He was rescued by a dog from a nearby castle that brought him food and licked his wound. The healed saint returned to France, where he was not recognized and thrown into prison as a spy. For a long 5 years he spent in prison, the head of which was his own uncle, without revealing his noble origin. On August 16, 1378, he was found dead in his cell, and there was a strange glow around him. After Rocco's death, everyone finally saw the miraculous cross on his chest and understood who it was. Rocco was declared a saint, and August 16th was Saint Rocco's day. In 1414, a plague broke out in the city, and the city fathers called on the people to pray to St. Rocco. Entire processions began in honor of the saint, and the plague really stopped. In 1485, the relics of Saint Rocco were stolen from Montpellier by the Venetians and brought to Venice to rid their native city of the constant threat of the plague. Venice, due to its connections with the East, where the infection came from, was one of the first victims of plague epidemics, and the city was exhausted in the fight against the "black death". In honor of this event, the scuola (church) of San Rocco was built in Venice, where the Venetians offered prayers in gratitude for getting rid of the plague, and where the relics of San Rocco are still kept. The image of San Rocco is considered unique because he is always depicted with a dog, and his hand points to a plague-stricken place on his left knee, which was not accepted at that time.

The balm of SAN ROCCO was based on medicinal herbs, with which, according to legend, Saint Roch treated the sick. Balm SAN ROCCO is a special active complex that quickly and effectively helps with various skin diseases - itching, inflammation, psoriasis, dermatitis, etc. Its action is due healing properties plants and the components contained in it:

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Cucumber oil is a source of gamma-linolenic acid, which stimulates the production of prostaglandins with anti-inflammatory action and reduces the production of arachidonic acid oxidation metabolites that activate the inflammatory response.
soy glycine being a rich source of proteins, it strengthens the lipid barrier of the skin, prevents the loss of mobility of collagen fibers, has a powerful moisturizing effect, softens the skin and promotes cell regeneration. Improves metabolic processes in skin cells, effectively restores moisture balance, enhances the protective functions of the skin.
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immortelle extract contains essential oil, flavonoids, ascorbic acid, vitamin K, bitter and tannins, etc. It has a pronounced biologically active effect, has an anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effect, and soothes the skin.
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Bisabolol- This is one of the most active components of chamomile oil. It relieves inflammation of the skin and, eliminating irritation, soothes it, stimulates the process of cell regeneration. Allantoin moisturizes and softens the skin, stimulates the process of wound healing and renewal of epidermal cells.
carrot oil- one of best oils for aging skin. Moisturizes the skin, protecting it from early aging, and also supports the function of sweat and sebaceous glands. Recommended for the care of dry, flaky and damaged skin with various irritations, as well as for burns, psoriasis and eczema. Rich in vitamins A and E.
Vitamin E (tocopheryl acetate)- a powerful antioxidant. It strengthens cell membranes, slows down skin aging, stimulates skin respiration and blood circulation, moisturizes and nourishes the skin, relieves inflammation and irritation.
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Action:

quickly relieves inflammation, redness and itching of the skin
treats skin diseases (eczema, dermatitis, psoriasis, etc.)
has an exfoliating effect, prevents skin roughness
increases tissue immunity, stimulates the formation of collagen
has an anti-allergic effect
strengthens the skin, restoring its structure
moisturizes, softens and nourishes dry skin, improves metabolism
protects the skin from UV rays

Application area:

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thermal burns of the skin of I-II degree
prevention and treatment of sunburn
trophic ulcers, psoriasis, eczema, vitiligo, felon, abscesses, dermatitis
acne vulgaris, herpes, bruising
sprains, arthritis and arthrosis, neuritis and neuralgia
suitable for massage

Mode of application:
Apply several times a day to the affected areas of the skin until clinical improvement

Active ingredients:
Tea tree oil, geranium oil, borage oil, soy glycine, extracts of tricolor violet, echinacea, calendula, immortelle, St. John's wort, carrot, sunflower oil, bisabolol, phospholipids, lactic acid, serine, sodium lactate, TEA-lactate, urea, sphingolipids, beta-carotene, carrot oil, allantoin, vitamin E, citric acid, ascorbic acid.

In a city of superb and stunning works of art, you won't be able to get such a bright and strong first impression everywhere that Tintoretto's incredible cycle of 54 paintings, placed on the walls of the Scuola San Rocco, makes.

Story

From dirt to Kings. This Scuola Grande di San Rocco, once a charitable institution for the sick, was founded in 1478 to the glory of St. Roch, a saint whose power against disease made him popular in plague-ridden Venice.

In 1564, the scuola, having become one of the richest brotherhoods in the city, held a competition for the right to decorate the walls of their building. It was won by Tintoretto, who then spent about 23 years creating a painting cycle that became one of the greatest in Europe.

Scuola San Rocco inside

Miracles inside. To see Tintoretto's 54 works in the order in which they were painted, walk past the paintings on the first floor and in the main hall (Sala Grande) on the second.

First of all, go to the Sala dell'Albergo, located off the main hall, where the huge "Crucifixion" (1565), which is often referred to as one of the greatest Italian paintings, takes pride of place.

The central ceiling panel of the hall is occupied by mural "Saint Roch in glory", thanks to which Tintoretto received this order.

In the main hall you can see ceiling paintings (1575-1581) depicting episodes from the Old Testament, carefully chosen to draw parallels with Scuola's charitable or healing goals. Ten paintings on the walls show scenes from the New Testament.

Note the excellent wood carvings of the 17th century. along the walls by the little-known sculptor Francesco Pianta. Of the eight paintings on the ground floor, the last painted by the artist for the scuola (1583-1588), the best are the original "Annunciation" and "Flight into Egypt".

"Crucifixion"

The famous painting of the school by Tintoretto "Crucifixion".

In this picture, the Crucified Christ and many people surrounding the suffering. Among them different people. There are devout believers and suffering, and there are just idly curious.

In this picture, all sides of a person are collected, shown so vividly that it is not possible to tear oneself away from this work for a long time.

wooden sculptures

The person who worked in the main hall of the scuola is the sculptor and woodcarver Francesco Pianta, who created a cycle of allegorical wooden statues, the meaning of which eludes the understanding of most art historians.

But, carefully studying these figures, it is impossible not to notice that they are a breathtaking three-dimensional illustration of the ancient alchemical tradition, understood as a teaching about the spiritual perfection of man.

"Annunciation"

The final cycle of 8 paintings on the ground floor tells of the Mother of God and the childhood of Christ.

The cycle opens with the Annunciation, in which Mary is depicted as a peasant girl with rough hands and a strong figure.

"Moses Heaping Water from the Rock" and "Manna from Heaven"

On the ceiling are 21 paintings with scenes from the Old Testament. Three large canvases on the ceiling: “Moses striking water from the rock”, “Bronze Serpent” and “Manna from Heaven” correspond to the purpose of the scuola - alleviating the needs of the suffering and hungry.

Moses striking water from a rock

Some of the ceiling paintings are by Giuseppe Angeli. On the walls - 12 paintings with biblical stories.

Manna from heaven

"The Temptation of Christ" and "The Adoration of the Shepherds"

The two most stunning works are The Temptation of Christ, which depicts a young Satan offering Christ two breads, and The Adoration of the Shepherds, which amazingly accurately conveys the awe of the shepherds bringing their modest gifts to Mary and the baby.

Video

To delve into the work of Tintoretto and see all the charm of Scuola, we recommend watching a video that is short in time, but capacious in content.

There is only one museum in Venice brilliant artist who was both born and died in this city. This is Jacopo Robusti, nicknamed Tintoretto (1519-1594). He studied in the workshop of the famous Titian, and at the age of 20 he already became an independent artist.

1. Tintoretto forever associated his name with Scuola Grande di San Rocco, where he worked for 23 years, leaving after more than 60 canvases with episodes from the Old and New Testaments. Known for his selflessness, he completed the grandiose cycle single-handedly for a negligible fee - an annual annuity of 100 ducats.

2. Prior to this, Tintoretto had already glorified himself with numerous masterpieces, among which was a painting depicting San Rocco curing the plagued, which is located in the Church of San Rocco on the square of the same name in the San Polo district. It was on this square, where there are two buildings with paintings by Tintoretto, that I dreamed of getting and, of course, seeing the paintings of Tintoretto.

Surprisingly, it worked...

Saint Roch in the Hospital, 1549. Oil on canvas. 307 x 673 cm, Church of St. Roch, Venice

3. Now Venice is remembered as a wonderful dream also because, in addition to being lucky with the weather, although the previous ferry from Piran was even canceled, the intended goal was achieved. And in one day, not only ride on all types of water transport, except for gondolas, but also visit Scuola San Rocco.

4. Confidence that we will have enough time to visit it and we will immediately go there without getting lost in narrow streets Venice, of course, was not ...

5. So after relaxing at the best meeting point Il Caffe by tasting the best ice cream in Il Doge and the best takeaway pizza in Al Volo, we pretty quickly followed the signs to the intended place.

First, I’ll tell you about what the Scuoli (Schools) of Venice are.
In the second half of the 13th century, in central and northern Italy, many lay brotherhoods appeared, uniting in the name of Christ, the Mother of God or the patron saint to preach religion or mutual assistance. In Venice, such brotherhoods were the Schools. Their members belonged to the bourgeois strata of the population, that is, not to the class of patricians, but simply citizens living in the city and engaged in various crafts and professions. In many cases, these were people with great financial resources, but excluded from the oligarchic government of the Republic. Nevertheless, they could play a prestigious role in Venetian society. Nobles could also be members of the brotherhood, but they could not hold government posts.

6. Before the fall of the Republic, Schools played a significant role in religious life community and helping people in need. It was a system for providing social assistance to the poor, at first among only members of society, and then - to the entire population.

7. At the beginning of the 15th century, there were several types of Schools in Venice: arts and crafts, nationality, religion. A similar division was officially confirmed in 1467.
Among the Schools of religious persuasion, the Beaten stood out, who practiced self-flagellation in front of everyone, as an act of atonement for sins. The association of the Beaten began to play a dominant role and turned into Big Schools, which in late XVI century became six.

8. The School of San Rocco - St. Roch, the patron saint of plague patients, who devoted his life to the treatment of the infirm, was formed in 1478 as the School of the Religious Community of the Beaten. And after many misadventures, at the end of the century, she built her first independent place of residence in the Frari region: not large building to the right of the church, currently known as Školetta.

11. The church was built in honor of St. Roch, who, along with St. Mark, is the patron saint of Venice. Since 1485, the remains of St. Roch have been buried in the church, which miraculously ended up in Venice, as well as the relics of St. Mark.

12. The project for the construction of the church was led by the architect Bartolomeo Bon. Construction continued from 1489 to 1508. The baroque facade of the church, decorated with sculptures by the architect Maccaruzzi, was completed in 1760.

13. Every year on August 16, the Doge paid a visit to the church and prayed with an appeal to the saint to protect the city from the plague. Now this tradition is played out in the annual theater production. The church contains several paintings by Tintoretto.

18. During the 16th century, the School became the wealthiest fraternity in Venice. By 1515, there were over 500 members in the community, so a decision was made to build a new large building. The construction of Scuol began in the same year according to the project of Bortolomeo Bona. Construction was carried out on a large scale and stretched for more than thirty years. The building was finally completed only in 1549, and another Italian architect, Antonio del Scarpagnino, completed the project.
In 1789, the School was raised to the rank of Archbrotherhood by Pontifex Pius VI and is still the only one of the ancient Great Schools that survived the fall of the Republic. All other Schools were dissolved by decree of Napoleon in 1806, but the decree bypassed this School, although it lost some of its wealth. Nevertheless, the buildings of the School itself, the church and Shkoletta were left to her and are still in her possession. The main building on the square is, of course, Scuola: it is to the left of the church facade.

19. Now the brotherhood has over three hundred men and women, not only conducts active charitable activities, but also oversees its significant artistic heritage. The school is a unique art gallery of the late Renaissance masters, there are several painted halls and a large collection of rare paintings.

In 1564, a competition was announced for painting the walls and ceiling, in which the best Italian painters of that time took part. Not without cunning, Jacopo Tintoretto won: instead of the required sketch, he submitted to the jury the finished work - the fresco "Saint Roch". In addition, the picture was inscribed with a donation "Saint Roch from Jacopo Tintoretto", and since the charter of Scuola San Rocco forbade the refusal of gifts, the brotherhood was forced to give the work to a resourceful painter.

Hall on the first floor. Sala terrena. The Scuola consists of the lower and upper floors, as well as the Albergo Hall. Henry James wrote: "It is unlikely that we will find four walls elsewhere, in which so much genius has been invested. The air of these canvases is so thick that it is difficult to breathe."
And it's true, the concentration of masterpieces is incredible, and this museum made a stunning impression...

20. It is believed that Tintoretto's 54 works should be viewed in the order in which they were written, i.e. passing by the paintings on the first floor, and on the second floor go first to the Albergo room. But I still want to show today a more strict and calm hall on the first floor with a cycle of paintings dedicated to the Virgin and written in 1582-1587.

21. The altar is decorated with a statue of Saint Roch by Gerolamo Campagna from the early 16th century.

22. Saint Roch was born in Montpellier in 1295 into a noble family. After short study medicine, gave up all his wealth, and at the age of 20 left for Italy as a pilgrim, stopping to help the victims of the plague in the cities of Italy, and in Piacenza he himself fell ill. Rocco was miraculously healed, he was helped by a dog that brought him bread in the forest.
When he returned to Montpellier, his family did not recognize him, because he had changed so much. Roch was sent to prison, where he died in 1327 at the age of 32. His exploits and services brought him immediate veneration in France, and he was recognized as the protector against the plague that was spreading throughout Europe at that time. Roch was especially revered in Venice, where the plague raged quite often, and in 1485 his relics were transported to Venice and placed in churches in 1520. After the great plague of 1576, he was proclaimed the patron saint of the city, and his church became a place of pilgrimage every year. Roch was declared holy, and the day of August 16 was recognized as the day of St. Roch.

28. On the left wall are paintings "Adoration of the Magi" and "Flight into Egypt".

29. On the left wall - "Massacre of the Innocents".

A cycle of 8 paintings on the first floor tells about the Mother of God and the childhood of Christ. The cycle opens with an absolutely wonderful "Annunciation" and ends with the painting "Assumption of the Mother of God". The first floor was painted in 1583-1587, when Tintoretto was already over 60.

Annunciation

Adoration of the Magi

Flight into Egypt

Massacre of the innocents

Circumcision

Ascension of Mary

The paintings "Mary Magdalene" and "Mary of Egypt" are particularly peaceful, the landscape in these paintings is the most important part of the composition.

St. Mary of Egypt. Mary Magdalene

All photos of the paintings are borrowed from the official website of Scuola di San Rocco
Information source: Scuola di San Rocco Avenue,

(Italian: Dorsoduro) is one of the six historical districts of Venice. Located between the city center and the lagoon, it is the southernmost area. The area also includes the islands of Giudecca and Sacca Fizola.

The name of the island comes from the Italian analogue of the word "Stanovoi Ridge", which symbolizes the high level of the land on which the area is located. The center of the district is the embankment of the Incurables, laid along the Giudecca Canal. This south coast of Venice has been built up since the 6th century.

In the 19th century, the Academy Bridge across the Grand Canal connected Dorsoduro with the San Marco area. The eastern part of the district is filled with residential areas. In the western part there are several art galleries, including the famous Academy. The sights of the area are the museum of the Peggy Guggenheim collection, numerous palaces and churches, as well as Santa Barnaba and Santa Margherita squares.

Starting in the heart of Venice, Dorsoduro gradually “leaves” deep into the university and residential areas, stretches along the entire lower coast, ending with the port. The area includes not only the entire southern part of the main island, but also the island of Giudecca lying opposite the Zattere embankment. The name "Dorsoduro" means "ridge", which may be a memory of the high ground level of these places.

The sights of the area, in addition to the Academy Gallery, are the Guggenheim Museum, numerous palazzos located along the coast Grand Canal, San Barnaba and Santa Margherita squares, Ca Foscari University of Venice and many churches. The most grandiose of them is Santa Maria della Salute, crowning the eastern tip of Dorsoduro - Cape Dogana.<.......... >

As usual, I collect information about what I have seen only later. Perhaps not right. But because it was found only now, nothing changes, there was another reason to return.

Meanwhile, I quietly made my way to the canal and San Barnaba Square, where the church of the same name is located (well, wow!).
Here it is necessary to mention the wonderful cinematic tours of the city. On this channel, the film "Summer" was filmed (a melodramatic film directed by David Lean, released in 1955. An adaptation of the play by Arthur Laurents "The Time of the Cuckoo" (The Time of the Cuckoo). The main roles were played by American Katharine Hepburn and Italian Rossano Brazzi. ) (footnote - in comments)

Nafigator hatched with the information: Campo Santa Marghereta is around me.
"Now you are almost at campo Santa Margherita. It is significant that the most vibrant campo in Venice is a product of the 19th century, when the Venetian Republic no longer existed; here you are in a world of healthy everyday life without any views of world domination, and this is incredibly refreshing.Until the 19th century, this square simply did not exist: a canal flowed here, on the banks of which garbage was piled, so there are few antiquities and beauties here.

At the end of the square closest to you, there is a separate house of the scuola Varotari (varotari, tanners) with a half-erased relief of the Madonna (1725); the sideways calle del Forno boasts a balcony on wooden consoles. But the main thing is a lively market, the best ice cream parlor in the city is Il Doge, the best place meetings - Il Caffé, the best takeaway pizza - Al Volo (№2944), an ingenious old toy store, a wine bottling point and a hardware store that smells of sawdust, like in the general store of your holiday village in 1979. Early in the morning, housewives choose live seafood here, during the day an army of schoolchildren rushes about, and in the evening students and Communist Party activists settle in bars and sit exactly until two in the morning.

At the far end of the square, the former church of Santa Margherita (Santa Margherita, XVII century) stands across. The dragons on it refer to the legend of Margarita, who emerged unscathed from the belly of a dragon and, based on her experience, patronizes pregnant women. Now the university is here; in the church there is a conference room, and its theatrical interior is usually allowed to take a quick look.

To intensify the effect, after Scuola Carmini and Santa Margareta, you should also go to the Church of San Pantalon, across the bridge from Campo Santa Margherita. The painting of its ceiling is even closer to the effect of a genuine sky, where the unknown but diligent painter Gianantonio Fumiani, who fell from the scaffolding after 24 years of work, went straight to in 1710. The plot of his paintings is the story of the patron saint of the church, St. Panteleimon, a doctor at the court of the Roman emperor; there is also a painting by Veronese (the last in his work), in which Panteleimon rejects the medicines and advice of the pagan Hippocrates in order to heal the child with his supernatural know-how.<............. >

One of the favorite places for recreation and pastime of the Venetians, both students and the elderly, is Campo Santa Margherita (Saint Margaret's Square). It is named in honor of Margarita, the patroness of all pregnant women, as well as women who, although they cannot have children, for some reason cannot. The legend of Saint Margaret tells that during her prayer, the Devil himself appeared to her in the form of a dragon, but even being swallowed by him, the Saint was able to get out and remain unharmed with the help of the power of prayer.

"At Campo Santa Margherita, having hurried past the Scuola Grande dei Carmini, I am heading to sit down in one of the cafes on the square and think over everything that I have piled up here about Dorsoduro. All around is noise and din, as Campo Santa Margherita is the busiest square in Venice after Piazza San Marco. But if on Piazza the revival is touristic, yellow, then on Campo Santa Margherita authenticity itself is raging, and it is not “come in large numbers” that make noise, but natives or almost natives.

Being close to the University of Ca' Foscari, this square is a favorite place for young people, hanging out on it all the time; at the University, of course, not only Venetian young people study, but in any case they live in Venice. The party intensifies in the evening, with the onset of darkness, Campo Santa Margherita is especially lively and seething until late, becoming so attractive that I, like Pavlov’s dog, have saliva, when pronouncing “Campo Santa Margherita”, a pleasant and meaningless, so Italian hum.

The youthfulness of the square seems to contradict what was said before about the general barnabing of Dorsoduro, but the contradiction between the reasoning on Campo San Barnaba and what I am now talking about Campo Santa Margherita can be removed by the following phrase: do not smile, you will be the same - which one of my acquaintances from the Hermitage, an experienced lady, said through her teeth at the sight of a young and pretty girl who had just entered the Hermitage. I don’t exactly repeat this phrase at Campo Santa Margherita, but I can’t help but remember, and how can you feel your old age if you don’t look at the youth? In the almshouse, everyone seems to be still hoo, so the newcomers to the almshouse are young, and in the Hermitage, until recently, I was considered a “young employee”. Here Dorsoduro himself Campo Santa Margherita and started to grumble and be touched by the youth.

Part of the square adjacent to the Scuola Grande dei Carmini forms an acute angle. Because of this, the feeling of triangularity does not leave me at Campo Santa Margherita, which is unusual for squares and gives this place a special spirit, although the surrounding architecture is normal and ordinary and there is nothing stunning in it, and the square was formed late, under the Austrians, when they, while clearing Venice, for reasons of hygiene, several rios that once flowed here were covered up. At the same time, the Austrians demolished part of the old medieval buildings, and, with the exception of the corner at the Scuola Grande dei Carmini, the square is rather ordinaryly rectangular. The Campo Santa Margherita is beautiful with an old ruin, once the bell tower of the church di Santa Margherita, chiesa di Santa Margherita. The church that gave the square its name was abolished under Napoleon, devastated and closed a long time ago, the bell tower is dilapidated, and its stub sticks out like some kind of avant-garde monument. A fragment of the tower gives the square something mystical, although the level of mysticism in Venice is high, at Campo Santa Margherita it is just lowered. In my mind, three features of the square: a sharp corner, a ruin and her name, Margerita, give the youthful hubbub that reigns on it a touch of Bulgakovism, so that I, despite the pleasant earthiness of this place - or rather, precisely thanks to her, because nothing is so not mystical, like everyday life, we know this from Rene Magritte, - I am sure that Woland will definitely hold one of his annual parties dedicated to the choice of Margarita here, in the church desecrated by Napoleon, - the conviction is absolutely tendentious, and nothing but subjective experiences reasoned." Only Venice. Images of Italy XXI Arkady Ippolitov

Well, here I come. The end point of my today's walk.
Church of San Rocco (Italian: San Rocco) is a church in Venice, located in the San Polo district. The church was erected and named after St. Roch, who, along with St. Mark, is the patron saint of Venice. Saint Roch was considered a healer of the plague, a terrible scourge of the cities of Europe in the Middle Ages, and especially commercial Venice. As earlier the Venetians stole the relics of Saint Mark, the relics of the French Saint Roch were also later stolen.

Every year on August 16, the Doge paid a visit to the church and prayed with an appeal to the saint to protect the city from the plague. Now this tradition is played out in an annual theatrical production. The construction of the church was started in 1489 and completed in 1508 by the architect Bartolomeo Bon the Younger. In 1725 the church was partially rebuilt. The impressive façade with many sculptures was built in the 1760s by the architect Maccaruzzi. The church houses four paintings by Tintoretto, including Saint Roch Heals Victims of the Plague.

The Scuola of San Rocco was founded by the Brotherhood of San Rocco in 1549 and is also one of the six Venetian large scuolas. The Brotherhood of St. Roch, or the Brotherhood of San Rocco, was registered in 1481 by the Council of Ten as an organization providing charitable assistance to the sick. In 1515, the brotherhood needed a large building, as the number of members of the brotherhood increased. Thus, in the same year, the construction of the scuola began. Two architects worked on the building, the last of which Antonio del Abbondi completed the construction by completing the second floor and the main entrance in 1549.

Scuola is located in Piazza San Rocco and resembles the style of both masters, for example, the bifore windows on the first floor are characteristic of Bartolomeo Bonu, and the double windows on the second floor are of Antonio del Abbondi. The construction of the scuola developed at the expense of donations from the Venetians, who believed in the patronage of St. Roch from infectious diseases. Opposite Scuola is the church of St. Roch, where his relics are kept. As in the 15th century, so today, the brotherhood of San Rocco is engaged in charity.<....... >

I accidentally raise my eyes higher - fathers, but there are columns around! Small life! And if you don’t specifically consider what is above your head, you won’t see it. I encountered such a miracle for the first time - sheep, dragons, lizards, pigs ... three pieces around each column.

In 1564, a painting competition was announced with the participation of Paolo Veronese, Schiavone, Salviati, Tintoretto and Zuccari. Tintoretto beat the competition by presenting the finished painting St. Roch in glory." This painting is now on the ceiling in the Sala de'll Albergo. After that, for 23 years, Tintoretto painted the scuola of San Rocco. Henry James wrote: “It is unlikely that we will find four walls elsewhere in which so much genius has been invested. The air of these canvases is so thick that it is difficult to breathe.<.......... >

The Scuola consists of the lower and upper floors and the Albergo Hall. Scuola is one of the first architectural creations in style High Renaissance in Venice. But there are features in her appearance early renaissance: polychrome marble structures and wide windows with openwork arches. The interior of the church is richly decorated. The walls are decorated with paintings by Tintoretto, and some rooms are decorated with carved wooden slabs.

The lower floor is modest and ascetic. There is something in it Greek temple- No, not only columns. The final cycle of 8 pictures tells about the Mother of God and the childhood of Christ. The cycle opens with the Annunciation, in which Mary is depicted as a peasant girl with rough hands and a strong figure. The cycle closes with the painting “Assumption of the Mother of God”, depicting the Virgin Mary in the radiance of light. The altar is decorated with a statue of St. Roca by Gerolamo Campagna (beginning of the 16th century).

The staircase by Scarpagnino (1544) leading to the upper hall is decorated with two paintings by Antonio Zanchi and Pietro Negri depicting the plague of 1630. In Zanchi's striking painting, a boatman loading corpses into a boat, and many people covering their noses with handkerchiefs.

Above the walls and ceiling, painted with paintings on biblical scenes, Tintoretto worked from 1575 to 1581. On the ceiling - 21 paintings with scenes from the Old Testament. Three large canvases on the ceiling: “Moses striking water from the rock”, “Bronze serpent” and “Manna from heaven” correspond to the purpose of the scuola - alleviating the needs of the suffering and hungry. Some of the ceiling paintings are by Giuseppe Angeli.

On the walls - 12 paintings with biblical scenes. In the hall there are two works by Gian Battista Tiepolo: "Hospitality of Abraham" and "Abandoned Hagar". Altar of the upper hall by Bernardino (1528), wooden panels on the doors of the altar by Giovanni Marchiori. Carved figures and caryatids by Francesco Pianta, among them there is a caricature of Tintoretto. The Treasury of the Brotherhood contains ancient statutes in wooden bindings, sacred vessels and church utensils.

"Scuols are brotherhoods in which in medieval Italy the townspeople united according to various criteria, as in corporations or associations in our time. An example for such associations were the orders of the Franciscans and Dominicans. Members of the scuols were also known under the name Battuti - "beaten", they scourged themselves during processions.Originally, all citizens could participate in the activities of the skuols, but over time, the nobles were forbidden to mix with other sections of the population, and since then the skuols have become middle-class brotherhoods.

In Venice, these philanthropic communities helped the city's poor during difficult times of famine, epidemics, and wars. There were scuolas founded by foreigners, their function was to support their fellow countrymen who lived permanently or arrived for a short time in Venice. The rules for the activities of the skuols were defined in special codes of laws for each of them.
The laity, having chosen their beloved saint as their patrons, most often united along professional lines. So Scuola Calegeri united shoemakers, and San Giorgio degli Schiavoni united Dalmatian merchants.

Scuols were not only social institutions to support the poor. The money of the fraternities' charitable foundations went to the patronage of the arts and the development of crafts. The big brotherhoods, Scuole Grandi, there were six of them in Venice, built and richly decorated the houses of their community, for this they invited the best craftsmen Venice, organized competitions for the decoration of their residences. Looking at these buildings, it is impossible not to suspect that the scuols competed with each other, wanting to emphasize their significance, prestige and wealth.

With the fall of the Republic and the coming to power of the Napoleonic government, the scuolas were ruined, they were deprived of all their property, the buildings were transferred to the city, and the works of art were partially replenished by the museums of Venice and Milan, partially taken abroad, and, of course, as with any confiscation, many simply disappeared. . For example, Scuola San Marco - a brotherhood of goldsmiths and silk merchants, together with the monastery and gardens of the Dominicans of San Giovanni e Paolo, were adapted for the City Hospital. Only the Scuola Grande de San Rocco has preserved both the building and all its artistic content.

The paintings in the Albergo Room are wholly owned by Tintoretto. In the center on the ceiling - "St. Roch in glory." The central work is surrounded by paintings symbolizing the other 5 large Venetian skuols, allegorical images of the four seasons, human virtues and virtues.

The most outstanding painting of the scuola is considered to be the huge canvas "Crucifixion", about which Henry James said: "it has everything, including the most perfect beauty." The body of Christ is raised, and the indifference of the soldiers contrasts with the mourning group, in the center of which is the fainting Virgin Mary. The painting has a self-portrait of Tintoretto with a palette and brushes. To the left of the entrance is "Christ before Pilate" (1566-1567), to the right - "Climbing Calvary", also genuine masterpieces of Tintoretto.

At the entrance to the Albergo Hall is Titian's painting "The Annunciation" and attributed to Giorgione (many consider it the author of Titian) the painting "Christ Carrying His Cross". Next to the Albergo hall - big collection unique ceramics.

When you climb the stairs, you still cannot imagine all the splendor that stuns you at the first moment. I want to sit on the floor. Better yet, lie down. And look, without looking up, at the golden ceiling.

Then comes the turn of the walls. Woodcarving. The tree is dark. illuminated by lamps. I would like to know what the meetings in this hall looked like! And what an impression the hall made on those who got here then.

You can watch for hours. All figures are different. And everything around the figures. That's how these books are on the shelf.

The Brotherhood has always been an active and influential organization, able, thanks to the accumulated wealth, to build and decorate its residence, attracting the best architects, painters and woodcarvers of the 16th and 17th centuries.

Even today, the walls and ceilings of the halls are decorated with an impressive painting cycle by Jacopo Tintoretto, on which the artist has been working for more than 20 years. Another interesting and in many ways mysterious person who worked in the main hall of the scuola is the sculptor and wood carver Francesco Pianta, who created a cycle of allegorical wooden statues, the meaning of which escapes the understanding of most art historians. But, carefully studying these figures, it is impossible not to notice that they are a breathtaking three-dimensional illustration of the ancient alchemical tradition, understood as a teaching about the spiritual perfection of man.

And, returning to Tintoretto: what do we actually see in his paintings? A true Catholic theology illustration of biblical events, or a pictorial exposition of the Hermetic teachings of Kabbalah and alchemy? And from whom did the government of the brotherhood consist - from orthodox Catholics or great initiates into the secret and forbidden by the church sciences?<........ >
The picturesque decor of the three rooms of the Scuola di San Rocco is unrivaled in Venice in grandeur and dramatic pathos; on the scale of Italy of the 16th century, it can only be compared with the murals of Michelangelo in Sistine Chapel. Perhaps Tintoretto himself, who began work at the Scuola di San Rocco a year after Michelangelo's death, felt himself to be his successor. The spiritual relationship of Tintoretto with Michelangelo is especially fully manifested in the colossal canvas of Golgotha (15b5, Venice, Scuola di San Rocco), which completely, from corner to corner, from ceiling to relatively low plinth, fills one of the walls of the Albergo Hall. A grandiose, bottomless space opens up before us, pierced by flashes of light and pits of deep shadows, drawing us into its depths, making us not only spectators, but also participants in the world drama. The execution on Calvary has not yet ended - the cross to which Christ is nailed has already been hoisted, but the cross with one of the crucified robbers is still being lifted by the executioners, tightly pulling the ropes tied to its crossbar; another cross lies on the ground and the executioners nail the second robber to it. But the miracle has already happened - around the outstretched arms and the head of Christ, against the background of the dark night sky, a strange radiance flares up, similar to large semicircular wings, the reflections of which fall on the crowd recoiling to the sides; a bright radiance begins to emit the earth at the foot of the cross. Against the background of this radiance, in close proximity to us, at the lower edge of the picture, a group of relatives of Christ appears, surrounding the fainting Mary; only young John, throwing his head back, looks in despair at the crucified Teacher. One of the stairs lying on the ground is also directed in our direction - thus, embracing the entire majestic panorama of Golgotha at the entrance to the hall, as we approach this colossal picture, we seem to be drawn into its space, becoming not only witnesses, but also participants in the great tragic events.<............. >

then, when your eyes are used to the splendor, you finally lower your eyes down. And love, love, love. Italian marble floors with inlay, I discovered them in Sicily. And now I pay attention wherever they come across. The colors are so bright, as if new, and they are already a lot of years old.
Tiled, bright, geometric, colorful, trodden by millions of feet: Sebastian Erras's floors are a source of inspiration. French photographer travels the world, filming places unique to each city. Sebastian recently spent 4 days in Venice and realized he had found the city with the most luxurious floors. The result of the trip was a new collection of images called "Venetian floors". <............ >

At some point, saturation sets in. When it seems - the eye is no longer able to distinguish colors, and the brain to perceive stories. So it's time. But I really want to come back here. It seems that I will never run out of reasons to return to Venice.

At the exit I understand that there is another floor. Not getting up would be a crime. Between the floors, a canvas by two authors is exhibited - a wonderful community that I have not seen before. Giorgione above, Titian below

On the top floor, there is a treasury that has been closed for a hundred years.

There are not many exhibits, for example, compared to the one in Vienna, but each one individually holds his breath. Moreover, a coral candlestick is nothing compared to bronze crosses, made so filigree that it is impossible to believe that it was made by hand.

Not only gothic is visible in the details. Here are Byzantium, and Saracens, philosophers and saints, kings and cabbages.

And Tiepolo. That's what constantly strikes me in Venetian churches is the routine with which great masters hang on the back, absolutely non-main walls. No glass or fence. Just an extra Teepolo.

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