The Palazzo Contarini delle Figure is a Renaissance-style palace located between the Palazzo Mocenigo Ca' Vecchia and

Palazzo Erizzo Nani Mocenigo Palazzo Erizzo Nani Mocenigo is a palace in Venice located in the San Marco district and overlooking the Grand Canal between Palazzo Da Lezze and Palazzo Contarini delle Figure. History It was built by the Erizzo family in 1480 in the Venetian ...

, across the Grand Canal from the Palazzo Civran Grimani in the sestiere di San Marco in the city of Venice, Italy.

Attribution

The marble facade is attributed to either

Antonio Abbondi Antonio Abbondi generally known as Scarpagnino (died 1549) was an Italian architect of the Renaissance period, active mainly in Venice. Biography Born at Grosio, in Valtellina. In 1505, he became the superintendent of reconstruction for the Fondaco ...

(Scarpagnino), Mauro Codussi, Antonio Lombardo, son of Pietro Lombardo, or Giorgio Spavento

History

It was commissioned by Jacopo Contarini, procurator of San Marco, to replace an earlier palace in the Gothic style. Construction took place from 1504 to 1546. In 1713, Bertucci Contarini, the last male heir donated the palaces art collection to the Ducal Palace. In the 19th century it was bought by marchese Alessandro Guiccioli, whose wife Teresa is recalled for her affair with Lord Byron.Content in this edit is translated from the existing Italian Wikipedia article at :it:Palazzo Contarini delle Figure; see its history for attribution. The palace, in somewhat poor state of conservation, has been subdivided into private apartments. The name ''Contarini delle Figure'' supposedly refers to caryatids above the ground floor portals below the main balcony.

Architecture

The palazzo was designed according to a style that makes many references to the works of Andrea Palladio. The façade is divided vertically and horizontally by nine parts (three by three) and combines many decorative details highlighted by various colors. The ground floor has a large water portal, flanked by eight single-light windows on two levels. The central part of the façade contains a triangular pediment supported by five fluted

Corinthian column The Corinthian order (Greek: Κορινθιακός ρυθμός, Latin: ''Ordo Corinthius'') is the last developed of the three principal classical orders of Ancient Greek architecture and Roman architecture. The other two are the Doric order ...

s framing four windows—a quite peculiar detail since columns in a portico are usually even in number. It is assumed that once the capitals were covered with gold. The top level is decorated with a quadrifora.

References

{{Coord, 45, 26, 4, N, 12, 19, 40, E, scale:2000, format=dms, display=title Houses completed in the 16th century Contarini delle Figure Contarini delle Figure Renaissance architecture in Venice