Room
10
The San Cassiano Altarpiece and the Saint
Sebastian from Dresden are all that remain of
Antonello’s work for the Venetian churches.
The latter was commissioned from Antonello
by the School of San Rocco in 1478, the year of
its foundation and an extremely difficult period
for Venice, which was hit that summer by a
devastating plague. The painting, with a view
of the city constructed with a very calibrated
perspective, is a true tribute to the city. A
sunny and lively Venice emerges between the
canals and chimney pots, inviting the viewer to pick out the various details of the urban
context. In the foreground towers the
monumental figure of the saint, seen from
below; the volumes of the body, gently
modelled by the light, are reminiscent of
Andrea Mantegna’s work, but the realistic
details, such as the hair and the bark of the
tree to which the martyr is bound are typical
of Antonello. The immense power and beauty
that emanate from Antonello’s work,
especially from the monumental figure of the
saint, are clearly visible in the painting of the
same title by Cima da Conegliano and in the
later Venice Christ Resurrected by Alvise
Vivarini.
