HISTORY OF ART PATRONAGE

The module, considered as a core educational activity, aims to provide methodological tools that allow the student to understand who were the subjects who required works of art from artists during the 15th and 16th centuries, particularly in Venice. The relationship between patrons and artists will be explored in depth so that the student can learn the genesis of a work of art, also noting its iconographic, theoretical, economic and socio-political implications.

• Knowledge and understanding: by the end of the course, students will demonstrate an in‑depth knowledge of the main module topics, artworks analysed, and case studies discussed throughout. They should also be able to understand these materials from a comparative perspective, contextualise artists, artworks, monuments, and patronage processes within a broader historical, cultural, and theoretical-methodological framework.
• Application of course content and critical methods: students should be able to use art historical vocabulary accurately and appropriately in order to describe, analyse, and interpret artworks, documents, or cultural contexts. They will also be assessed on their ability to link theoretical concepts with direct observation, as well as on their capacity to apply the critical methods learned in a personal and independent way, avoiding mere regurgitation of what was discussed in class or in the assigned readings.
• Communication skills: students are expected to articulate both the knowledge acquired and their own interpretations clearly, coherently, and in a well‑structured manner. Communication skills will be assessed in oral form, with particular attention to the ability to argue convincingly, support claims with appropriate evidence, examples, and references, and adjust their linguistic register to the academic context.
• Learning Skills: students will develop the ability to situate examples, artworks, and case studies within an appropriate historical and theoretical framework independently. A key component will be their capacity to select, understand, and critically integrate lecture notes with the required and recommended bibliography.
• Making judgements: students must demonstrate the ability to analyse a work of art autonomously within its patronage context. Such analysis should be grounded in appropriate historical, cultural, and formal contextualisation, and include the capacity to evaluate visual and written sources critically. Particular value will be placed on the ability to formulate well‑reasoned personal judgments based on a mindful use of the critical tools acquired throughout the course.

Basic knowledge of 15th and 16th centuries Art History.

Venetian patrons between the 15th and 16th centuries: painting, sculpture and architecture.
The module aims to provide an overview of the patrons who commissioned works of art from artists in Venice for a wide range of locations and functions. A variety of case studies will be examined, illustrating different forms of patronage: from state patronage relating to the architecture and decoration of the Doge’s Palace (Palazzo Ducale), to commissions by corporate bodies such as the Scuole Grandi or Scuole Piccole, and, finally, to religious contexts and selected examples of private citizens, especially patricians, commissioning artworks both for their homes and for churches.

Required readings
• S. Settis, Artisti e committenti fra Quattro e Cinquecento (Torino: Einaudi, 2010), 3-114 (capp. 1-2, “Artisti e committenti fra Quattro e Cinquecento”, “Giorgione e I suoi committenti”)
• C. Thoenes, “«L’incarico imposto dall’economia». Appunti su committenza ed economia dai trattati d’architettura”, in Arte, committenza ed economia a Roma e nelle corti del Rinascimento (1420-1530), Atti del Convegno Internazionale, Roma 24-27 ottobre 1990, a cura di Arnold Esch e Christoph Luitpold Frommel (Torino: Einaudi, 1995), 51-66

Optional readings (see detailed instructions on Moodle):
• M. Tafuri, Venezia e il Rinascimento. Religione, scienza, architettura (Torino: Einaudi, 1985), pp. 3-78, 125-154, 155-212
• W. Wolters, Storia e politica nei dipinti di Palazzo Ducale. Aspetti dell'autocelebrazione della Repubblica di Venezia nel Cinquecento (Venezia: Arsenale, 1987), pp. 15-32, 33-45
• G. Tagliaferro, “Le forme della Vergine. La personificazione di Venezia nel processo creativo di Paolo Veronese”, Venezia Cinquecento XV/30 (2005), pp. 5-158
• C. Terribile, Del piacere della virtù. Paolo Veronese, Alessandro Magno e il patriziato veneziano (Venezia: Marsilio, 2009)
• R. Goffen, Devozione e committenza. Bellini, Tiziano e i Frari (Venezia: Marsilio, 1991), pp. 3-52, 81-104
• P. Ranieri, “La chiesa di San Sebastiano a Venezia. La rifondazione cinquecentesca e la cappella di Marcantonio Grimani”, Venezia Cinquecento XII/24 (2002), pp. 5-139
• A. Gentili e M. Di Monte, Veronese nella Chiesa di San Sebastiano (Venezia: Chorus-Marsilio, 2005)
• A. Niero, “Il programma teologico di Paolo Veronese in San Sebastiano”, in Da Tiziano a El Greco. Per la storia del Manierismo a Venezia. 1540-1590, catalogo della mostra (Milano: Electa, 1981), pp. 327-329
• P. Fortini Brown, La pittura nell’età di Carpaccio. I grandi cicli narrativi (Venezia: Albrizzi, 1992), pp. 11-41
• A. Gentili, Le storie di Carpaccio. Venezia, i Turchi, gli Ebrei (Venezia: Marsilio, 1996), pp. 27-90
• M.E. Massimi, “Jacopo Tintoretto e i confratelli della Scuola Grande di San Rocco. Strategie culturali e committenza artistica”, Venezia Cinquecento, V/9 (1995), pp. 5-107
• V. Sapienza, La chiesa di San Zulian a Venezia nel Cinquecento. Dalla ricostruzione sansoviniana alle grandi imprese decorative di fine secolo (Roma: École Française de Rome, 2018), pp. 1-77
• M. Gaier, Facciate sacre a scopo profane. Venezia e la politica dei monumenti dal Quattrocento al Settecento (Venezia: Istituto Veneto di Scienze, Lettere ed Arti, 2002), pp. 207-236
• M.E. Massimi, “La memoria ritrovata. Il San Giacomo in cammino di Tiziano e il suo committente”, Venezia Cinquecento, V/10 (1995), pp. 69-121
• Giorgio Tagliaferro, “Clientele cittadine, affari privati e produzione di bottega: Tiziano e i Balbi dal Legname”, Venezia Cinquecento XXI/41 (2011), pp. 107-161

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 lecturer has a duty to ensure that the rules regarding the authenticity and originality of exam tests and papers are respected. Therefore, if there is suspicion of irregular conduct, an additional assessment may be conducted, which could differ from the original exam description.

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