Santa Maria del Rosario
Santa Maria del Rosario. Also known as “I Gesuati,” it is a Dominican church located in the Dorsoduro district of Venice.
Overlooking the Giudecca Canal, the 18th-century classical-style building known as “St. Mary of the Rosary” boasts a luminous interior and is remarkable for maintaining its original design and Rococo decorations. The church, along with the majority of its sculptures and paintings, was completed within thirty years: construction began in 1725, it was consecrated in 1743, and the final sculptural details were added by 1755. Adjacent to this newer structure lies the original 15th-century “Church of the Visitation.”
NOTE. Rather confusing, is that there are two churches in Venice, that have similar names of their order: Gesuati (Jesuates) and Gesuiti (Jesuits); the latter close to the northern coast of Venice in the district of Cannaregio; just off the Fondamente Nuove. Both churches are beautiful and have rich histories, but they are distinct in their locations, architectural styles and the religious orders that built them.
History: Background – A new church for the Dominicans
Exterior facade
Interior
Artisitic Highlights: Ceiling decoration – Sculpture – Paintings – Organ, Presbytery, High Altar and Choir
A celebratory Poem
Links (internal-external)
James W. Milliken (fl. 1880-1910) “The Giudecca with the Gesuati, Venice“
Looking eastwards along the Zatteri, the original small 15th century Gesuati church, in front of the larger 18th century Dominican church
Santa Maria del Rosario – History
BACKGROUND. The Jesuates, officially known as the “Clerici Apostolici Sancti Hieronymi” (Apostolic Clerics of Saint Jerome), founded in Sienna by Giovanni Colombino, during the 14th century, and established themselves in Venice by 1390. Known as “I poveri Gesuati“ (The Poor Jesuates), due to their frequent invocation of Jesus’ name, and impoverished lifestyle; they were distinct from the Jesuits, whose church lies close to Venice’s northern Cannaregio coastline. The Jesuates amassed wealth through donations, legacies, and state-granted privileges, including exclusive rights to the distillation of wine; which they gave to the sick.
In 1493, construction began on a small church along the Zattere, the fondamenta bordering the Giudecca Canal opposite the island of Giudecca, amidst the order’s buildings.
Originally dedicated to St. Jerome and later to Santa Maria della Visitazione; it was known as the Church of the Visitation. (Note: This is just a few metres west of the current Santa Maria del Rosario). Over time, the order found it difficult to recruit new members, and a decrease in their numbers, along with a laxity in their duties; led to their dissolution by Pope Clement IX in 1668.
The next year, their possessions were auctioned off and acquired by the Dominicans, who settled there in 1670. The site became known as the “Dominicans’ place at the Gesuati“, a term still used by Venetians to this day.
A NEW CHURCH FOR THE DOMINICANS.
The Church of the Visitation, being too small, led the Dominicans to decide on constructing a new building by 1720. Andrea Musato was initially hired for the job, but after his death in 1721, Giorgio Massari took over. His design received approval in 1724. Rudolf Wittkower praises Massari as “the preeminent Venetian architect of the first half of the 18th century,” marking this as Massari’s first significant project in Venice. A stone relief depicting The Dead Christ Supported by Two Angels, embedded in the church’s right-hand wall, may originate from the original building.
The construction of I Gesuati began in 1725, with the Dominicans raising funds through donations and the support of religious figures and benefactors. Father Carlo Maria Lazzaroni from Milan led the fundraising efforts, amassing a considerable sum.
The generous funding. enabled not only the construction of a magnificent church, but also its embellishment with art from renowned painters and sculptors.
Author: Marc Ryckaert. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license.
Massari preserved the original Church of the Visitation, placing the new edifice further east along the Zattere. His role encompassed more than just architecture; it included interior design, decoration, and commissioning art.
Massari, opting not to pursue a groundbreaking design, aimed to please his patrons with a church that echoed the grandeur of his forebears, notably Palladio, whose San Giorgio Maggiore and Il Redentore are visible from the site. The facade mirrors San Giorgio Maggiore’s central section, while Il Redentore inspired the interior design.
The Dominicans wanted the edifice to celebrate their order’s achievements and encourage rosary devotion. After defeating the Turks, the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary was added to the General Roman Calendar in 1716.
The foundation stone of I Gesuati was laid on May 17, 1726, in the presence of Patriarch Marco Gradenigo. Patriarch Alvise Foscari dedicated the church on September 29, 1743. The final statue was placed in 1755, completing the construction, and the church has been largely unchanged since then.
After the order’s dissolution in 1815, Santa Maria del Rosario became a parish church, succeeding the closed churches of San Vio and San Gregorio. The adjoining monastery, transformed into a boys’ home, now hosts the “Istituto Don Orione”.
Note. Who are the Dominicans and what are the main Mendicant Catholic Orders?
The Dominican Order, officially known as the Order of Preachers (Ordo Praedicatorum, OP), was founded by Saint Dominic in 1216. It is a mendicant Catholic religious order with a focus on preaching, teaching, and combating heresy. The order’s members include friars, nuns, active sisters, and laity who follow a life based on the vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience.
The Dominicans have played a significant role in the intellectual and theological development of the Catholic Church, with notable figures such as Thomas Aquinas and Albertus Magnus. They are known for their dedication to study and education, establishing many schools and universities.
Architecturally, their churches are often simple and functional, reflecting their commitment to humility and devotion. The Dominican influence can be seen throughout Europe and the world, with many notable structures and contributions to art and culture.
Mendicant Catholic religious orders, emerged in the 12th and 13th centuries as a response to the growing urbanization of medieval Europe. Unlike monastic orders that lived in secluded monasteries, mendicant orders were characterized by their vow of poverty and their commitment to an itinerant lifestyle, preaching, and serving the urban poor. They relied on alms and donations to sustain themselves. The four most prominent mendicant orders are:
- Dominicans (Order of Preachers): Founded by Saint Dominic in 1216, they focus on preaching, teaching, and combating heresy. Renowned for their intellectual contributions, Dominicans have played a key role in theology and philosophy.
- Franciscans (Order of Friars Minor): Founded by Saint Francis of Assisi in 1209, they emphasize a life of poverty, humility, and service. They are known for their dedication to nature and simplicity.
- Carmelites (Order of Our Lady of Mount Carmel): Initially hermits living on Mount Carmel in the Holy Land, they later adopted a mendicant lifestyle, focusing on contemplative prayer and community service.
- Augustinians (Order of Saint Augustine): Formed in the 13th century, they follow the Rule of Saint Augustine and are committed to a life of community, prayer, and service.
Exterior Facade.
To support the weight of the facade, 270 piles were driven into the ground. Large Corinthian pilasters support a significant triangular pediment. The main entrance, topped by a curved pediment featuring an inscription, is flanked by four niches containing majestic statues. These statues represent the four cardinal virtues: Prudence, Justice, Fortitude, and Temperance, created by the sculptors Gaetano Susali, Francesco Bonazza, Giuseppe Bernardi Torretti, and Alvise Tagliapietra, respectively, in the years 1736/37.
Interior of the church
The interior decoration of I Gesuati, which started in 1736, a decade after the building’s construction began, is remarkable. Although the exterior walls create a simple rectangular shape, the interior of the nave, surrounded by Corinthian columns supporting an entablature with rounded corners, creates the illusion of an ellipse. Flanking the pillars, three altars stand on each side.
The nave is well-lit by tall windows on both sides, accentuating the striking contrast between the white walls and the grey stone.
Artistic Highlights
Ceiling decoration
The ceiling decoration of Santa Maria del Rosario was commissioned to Giovanni Battista Tiepolo, who signed a contract with the Dominicans in May 1737 and completed the work by 1739.
The ceiling features three frescoes. “The Glory of St. Dominic“, closest to the entrance, depicts his ascent into heaven, while “The Appearance of the Virgin to St. Dominic” is positioned nearest to the altar. The central piece is an expansive fresco, acclaimed as a masterpiece, entitled “The Institution of the Rosary“. In this composition, the Virgin, surrounded by a blue sky filled with clouds, angels, and cherubs, supports the Christ child as he presents the rosary to St. Dominic.
Author: Livioandronico2013. GNU Free Documentation License
St. Dominic is depicted atop a long marble staircase, bestowing the rosary upon people of all ranks, including a doge and a pope. In the painting’s darkest area at the bottom, the condemned souls (heretics) are shown tumbling out of the frame, signifying this work as one of Tiepolo’s first significant fresco commissions.
Moreover, the church’s ceilings and other raised areas showcase monochrome paintings. While Tiepolo conceived these, his apprentices executed them under his close guidance, making it impossible to attribute any to another artist definitively. One monochrome near the High Altar shows St. Dominic kneeling and blessing a Dominican friar, who Lorenzetti suggests might be Fra Paolo, the key figure in the church’s construction.
Paintings
The paintings and sculptures in the nave are described in sequence, starting from the main entrance.
To the right >
- The first altar on the right, is crowned by a canvas oil painting by G.B. Tiepolo, finished in December 1739 but not installed until 1748. It depicts three female Dominican saints: St. Catherine of Siena, on the left with a cross and the crucified Christ; St. Rose of Lima on the right, cradling the Christ child with a rose; and St. Agnes of Montepulciano, seated and canonized in 1726, holding a small cross. Above and behind them, the Madonna is present, seemingly detached and unnoticed.
- The second altar on the right, features a marble sculpture of angels by Giovanni Maria Morlaiter, his first commission for the church in 1739, encircling a modest half-length image of St. Dominic from 1743 by Giambattista Piazzetta.
- The third altar on the right, is graced with an oil on canvas by Giambattista Piazzetta, illustrating three male Dominican saints, representing their order’s missionary work. Michael Levey notes the painting’s “memorably austere tonality,” a stark contrast to its opulent Rococo style. St. Louis Bertrand, dressed in black, a Spanish saint and missionary to the Caribbean who survived an alleged poisoning by a local priest, symbolized by a serpent in his chalice; St. Vincent Ferrer, in white, said to have visited him in a vision; and Saint Hyacinth, a missionary to the East, gripping a monstrance and an icon of the Virgin and Child, famously carried across the stormy Dneister River where he was miraculously saved.
< To the left
- The first altar on the left, houses an altarpiece, an oil painting by Sebastiano Ricci (1659–1734), which portrays three eminent Dominicans: Pope Pius V, Thomas Aquinas, and St Peter Martyr, with three angels above, one holding a palm. Created for the new edifice, it is one of Ricci’s last pieces, finished in 1732–33. Pope Pius V, who was canonized in 1712 and opposed Protestantism, esteemed Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274), shown on the left, and proclaimed him a Doctor of the Church. Aquinas is recognized by the Sun on his chest and the Summa Theologica in his hands. St Peter Martyr, illustrated on the right, was a fervent Dominican who was assassinated in 1252. While he is usually depicted with the cleaver of his martyrdom in his head, Ricci has placed it on the ground before him.
- The second altar on the left, displays Antonio Rosa’s Madonna of the Rosary statue (1836), which supplanted an earlier unsatisfactory work.
- The third altar on the left, features a Crucifixion painting (circa 1560) by Tintoretto, the church’s most ancient piece, apart from those in the sacristy. Initially from the Church of the Visitation, it underwent restoration by Piazzetta in 1743, due to its deteriorated condition.
Sculpture
Nearly all the sculptures at Santa Maria del Rosario are the creations of Giovanni Maria Morlaiter, a sculptor hailing from beyond the Alps., whom Hugh Honour describes as “one of the ablest sculptors in eighteenth century Venice” and Semenzato as “the most brilliant interpreter of the rococo in Venetian sculpture“, adding that “His work shows great dynamism” and “an inexhaustible felicity of invention”.
There is more of his work in the church than anywhere else in Venice.
Saint Peter – Prophet Aaron – Saint Paul – King Melchizedek Author: Wolfgang Moroder. GNU Free Documentation License
His first major work for the church, “The Glory of Angels,” was located on the second altar to the right and completed in 1738. Subsequently, Massari commissioned him for all the major sculptural works, which concluded with the “Statue of Melchisedek” in 1755.
The works include:
- First altar on the left: two cherubs
- Marble adornment of the High Altar
- Statues, each paired with a bas-relief description as below:
- Right Niche One: Abraham (The Centurion pleads with Jesus to heal his son)
- Right Niche Two: Aaron (The healing of the blind man)
- Right Niche Three: St. Paul (Christ with Mary Magdalene)
- Left Niche One: Melchisedek (St. Peter walking on water)
- Left Niche Two: Moses (The healing of the paralytic)
- Left Niche Three: St. Peter (Christ and the Samaritan woman)
Organ, Presbytery, High Altar and Choir
The Organ, stands to the left of the High Altar, crafted by the Bazzari brothers, which in 1856, replaced the original 1740 organ.
The Presbytery, situated to the right, adjoins the High Altar, which features a diminutive, early depiction of the Madonna and Child against a golden background. Credited to Stefano di Sant’Agnese, it is believed that this artwork was produced around 1375 to 1380. It presumably originated from the now non-existent Church of St. Agnes, which was in close proximity and famed for its International Gothic architecture. The Church of St. Agnes was officially closed in 1810.
The High Altar, raised on five steps and ensconced under a column-supported structural canopy, resides directly below the dome. It showcases the Rococo style, characterized by its lively marbles, carved shells, cherubic figures, and reliefs adorned with roses, wheat, and grapes.
The Choir area, located behind the main altar, features intricately carved wooden stalls dating from 1740 to 1744, and a ceiling fresco by Tiepolo that depicts David playing the harp.
Here’s a poem in celebration of I Gesuati in Dorsoduro
By the Giudecca Canal, so serene,
Stands I Gesuati, a sacred scene.
Built by Dominican friars’ hand,
In Venice, gracing this wondrous land.
Giorgio Massari’s grand design,
Classical lines, so pure, so fine.
Rococo beauty within its walls,
A masterpiece that history calls.
Marble altars, resplendent and grand,
With saints and angels, sculptures stand.
Tiepolos’ brush, with colours bold,
Scenes of faith and stories told.
In the nave, where light streams in,
Echoes of prayers from where they’ve been.
From marble floor to gilded dome,
I Gesuati, a spiritual home.
A haven of art, of faith, of grace,
In Venice’s heart, it holds its place.
Through ages past and tides of time,
Its beauty sings in sacred rhyme.
Links (internal–external)
Dorsoduro – District and Attractions
My Favourite 11 churches in Venice: My Favourite Churches – Images of Venice
I Gesuati Santa Maria del Rosario Venezia (youtube.com)
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