HISTORY OF ART PATRONAGE

Academic year
2026/2027 Syllabus of previous years
Official course title
STORIA DELLA COMMITTENZA ARTISTICA
Course code
FT0466 (AF:577812 AR:375083)
Teaching language
Italian
Modality
On campus classes
ECTS credits
6
Degree level
Bachelor's Degree Programme
Academic Discipline
L-ART/02
Period
4th Term
Course year
2
Where
VENEZIA
The course is part of the core educational activities of the Master's Degree in History of Arts and Conservation of Artistic Heritage and in Economics and Management of Arts and Cultural Activities. The course will examine some examples of the relationship between patrons and artists in the Italian context and in particular in the Venetian context, during the 15th and 16th centuries. The artistic patrons analysed will mainly concern works of painting. At the end of the course, students will be able to analyse a work of art not only from a formal point of view, but will possess the ability to think of artistic creation as a "choral act", an expression of the complex relationship between artist/s, client/s and historical and cultural context. Students will also become familiar with the relationship with source(s), artistic invention and the various types of documents related to artistic patronage.



• Knowledge and understanding: knowledge of the topics and examples covered in class in a comparative perspective.
• Ability to apply the acquired knowledge: use of an appropriate vocabulary to express contents and meanings.
• Communication skills: ability to formulate in written and oral form the acquired knowledge.
• Learning ability: at the end of the course, the student should be able to recognise and place historically the examples treated during the lessons. It will therefore be indispensable to integrate the notes of the lessons with the reading and study of the bibliography.
A basic knowledge of modern art history is desirable, particularly for the 15th and 16th centuries.
The course will examine different types of patronage (secular, religious, aristocratic and non-aristocratic, of individuals or of corporations or schools), with particular attention to the Venetian reality of the Renaissance. However, it will be necessary to place the phenomena of the Renaissance period in a broader chronological perspective, in order to be able to grasp continuity, discontinuity and possible peculiarities.
Depending on the number of students attending, some visits are also planned.
Required readings
A. Gentili, Le Storie di Carpaccio. Venezia, i Turchi, gli Ebrei, Venezia 1996, pp. 11-46
P. F. Brown, La pittura nell’età di Carpaccio, Venezia 1992, pp. 21-89, 147-175
S. Settis, Artisti e committenti fra Quattro e Cinquecento, Torino 2010, pp. 89-211
M. Baxandall, Pittura ed esperienze sociali nell'Italia del Quattrocento, Torino 1978, cap. I, pp. 3-40
V. Sapienza, «Ancora sui Miracoli di Boucolis», G. Ortalli, F. Posocco (a cura di), Tintoretto 2019, Atti del convegno internazionale di studi, Venezia, Scuola Grande di San Rocco - Istituto Veneto di Scienze Lettere ed Arti, 30 sett. – 2 ottobre 2019, Venezia 2021, pp. 64-79
V. Sapienza, La chiesa di San Zulian a Venezia nel Cinquecento. Dalla ricostruzione sansovinana alle grandi imprese decorative di fine secolo, Roma 2018, pp. 1-115
V. Sapienza, « Il San Gerolamo di Tiziano per Santa Maria Nova: storie di mercanti, malfattori e penitenti », Augusto Gentili (a cura di), Il Grande Vecchio. Tiziano 1542-1576, atti del convegno internazionale di studi, Venezia Cinquecento, 35/2008, pp. 175-204.

Optional readings:
R. Goffen, Devozione e committenza. Bellini, Tiziano e i Frari, Venezia 1986 (fortemente consigliato: in particolare pp. 3-104).
G. Matino, «l ciclo dell’Albergo della Scuola Grande di San Marco: una nuova prospettiva», in G. Ortalli, S. Settis (a cura di), La Scuola grande di San Marco a Venezia, Modena 2017, pp. 117-133 (fortemente consigliato)
M. Hochmann, Peintres et commanditaires à Venise (1540-1628), Roma 1992.

Learning is assessed through an oral examination. The purpose of the exam is to verify that students have understood the topics covered during the module, as well as the fundamental concepts presented in the bibliography and in the teaching materials available on the university’s Moodle platform.
oral

The instructor is responsible for ensuring the authenticity and originality of all examinations and coursework. In cases of suspected academic misconduct, an additional on-site assessment may be required during the exams, which may differ from the standard format.

written examination - with three open questions - about main topics, movements, themes and artists, as developed during the course

- grading:
A. marks in the 18-22 range will be awarded in the presence of:
- sufficient knowledge and applied understanding with reference to the syllabus;
- limited ability to collect and/or interpret data, making independent judgements;
- sufficient communication skills, especially in relation to the use of specific language.
B. marks in band 23-26 will be awarded in the presence of:
- discrete knowledge and applied understanding with reference to the syllabus;
- discrete ability to collect and/or interpret data, making autonomous judgements;
- fair communication skills, especially in relation to the use of specific language.
C. Scores in the 27-30 bracket will be awarded in the presence of:
- good or very good knowledge and applied understanding with reference to the syllabus;
- good or very good ability to collect and/or interpret data, making autonomous judgements;
- fully appropriate communication skills, especially in relation to the use of specific language.
D. Honours will be awarded in the presence of knowledge and ability of applied understanding with reference to the
programme, judgement and communication skills, excellent.
The course includes frontal lessons with projection of images, discussions of texts and active participation of students through reading exercises of the works of art proposed; visits to collections and monuments covered during classroom lessons are planned.
The course uses the university's e-learning platform (Moodle.unive.it), where the teaching materials will be uploaded.
Attendance is strongly recommended.

Ca' Foscari applies Italian law (Law 17/1999; Law 170/2010) for support and accommodation services available to students with disabilities or with specific learning disabilities. In case of motor, visual, hearing or other disabilities (Law 17/1999) or a specific learning disorder (Law 170/2010) and need for support (classroom assistance, technological aids for carrying out individualized exams or exams, accessible format material, notes retrieval, specialist tutoring to support the study, interpreters or other), please contact the Disability and SLD office: disable@unive.it.

This subject deals with topics related to the macro-area "Human capital, health, education" and contributes to the achievement of one or more goals of U. N. Agenda for Sustainable Development

Definitive programme.
Last update of the programme: 04/07/2026