Santa Maria di Nazareth is a

Roman Catholic Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...

Carmelite church in

Venice Venice ( ; it, Venezia ; vec, Venesia or ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto Regions of Italy, region. It is built on a group of 118 small islands that are separated by canals and linked by over 400 ...

, northern

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...

. It is also called Church of the Scalzi () being the seat in the city of the

Discalced Carmelites The Discalced Carmelites, known officially as the Order of the Discalced Carmelites of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel ( la, Ordo Fratrum Carmelitarum Discalceatorum Beatae Mariae Virginis de Monte Carmelo) or the Order of Discalced Carme ...

religious order ( in Italian means 'barefoot'). Located in the

sestiere A (plural: ) is a subdivision of certain Italian towns and cities. The word is from (‘sixth’), so it is thus used only for towns divided into six districts. The best-known example is the ''sestieri'' of Venice, but Ascoli Piceno, Genoa, M ...

Cannaregio Cannaregio () is the northernmost of the six historic ''sestieri'' (districts) of Venice. It is the second largest ''sestiere'' by land area and the largest by population, with 13,169 people . Isola di San Michele, the historic cemetery island, ...

, near

Venezia Santa Lucia railway station Venezia Santa Lucia ( it, Stazione di Venezia Santa Lucia) is the central station of Venice in the north-east of Italy. It is a terminus and located at the northern edge of Venice's historic city ( it, Centro storico). The station is one of Ven ...

, it was built in the mid-17th century to the designs of

Baldassarre Longhena Baldassare Longhena (1598 – 18 February 1682) was an Italian architect, who worked mainly in Venice, where he was one of the greatest exponents of Baroque architecture of the period. Biography Born in Venice, Longhena studied under the architect ...

and completed in the last decades of that century.

Exterior

The facade in Venetian Late

Baroque The Baroque (, ; ) is a style of architecture, music, dance, painting, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished in Europe from the early 17th century until the 1750s. In the territories of the Spanish and Portuguese empires including t ...

style, was financed by the aristocrat Gerolamo Cavazza, and erected by

Giuseppe Sardi Giuseppe Sardi (1680 – documented until 1768) was an Italian architect active in Rome. He was born at Sant'Angelo in Vado, Marche which was then part of the Papal States. Known primarily for his church of Santa Maria del Rosario in Marino o ...

, from 1672 to 1680. The four first-floor statues, the statue of the Virgin and Child, and the statues of Saint Catherine of Siena and St Thomas Aquinas are sculpted by Bernardo Falconi. Santa Maria degli Scalzi (Venice) - San Bartolomeo (apostolo) di Bernardo Falconi.jpg, Bartholomew the Apostle by Bernardo Falconi Campanile of Santa Maria di Nazareth (Venezia).jpg, Campanile

Interior

The first chapel to the right has a statue of St John of the Cross, attributed to Falconi. The statues of Faith, Hope, and Charity are by Tommaso Rues. The third chapel on the left has a statue of St Sebastian (1669) with bronze bas-reliefs also attributed to Falconi.

The vault

The vault of the church nave once housed a major fresco by

Giambattista Tiepolo Giovanni Battista Tiepolo ( , ; March 5, 1696 – March 27, 1770), also known as Giambattista (or Gianbattista) Tiepolo, was an Italian painter and printmaker from the Republic of Venice who painted in the Rococo style, considered an import ...

depicting the ''Translation of the House of Loreto''. Tiepolo had previously worked in the church, decorating the vaults of the chapel of St Teresa in 1727–1730 and the chapel of Crucifix in 1732–1733. He had also painted a ''Virgin of Mount Carmel'' for the Carmelite church of St Aponal and so was well-known to the order. Thus in 1743, Tiepolo arranged to work alongside

Gerolamo Mengozzi Colonna Gerolamo Mengozzi Colonna (1688 – Venice, 27 October 1774) was an Italian painter, mostly of frescoed quadratura. Biography Born in Ferrara, Gerolamo was a pupil of the painters of architectural perspective painters Antonio Felice Ferrari and ...

, who provided

quadratura Illusionistic ceiling painting, which includes the techniques of perspective ''di sotto in sù'' and ''quadratura'', is the tradition in Renaissance, Baroque and Rococo art in which ''trompe-l'œil'', perspective tools such as foreshortening, an ...

for 1500 ducats; Tiepolo painted a daring vision of the flying House, transported by angels, which repels falling winged figures of heresy and falsehood (completed in 1745). An Austrian bombardment from the mainland destroyed the frescoes on October 24, 1915. From 1929 to 1933,

Ettore Tito Ettore Tito (17 December 1859 – 26 June 1941) was an Italian artist particularly known for his paintings of contemporary life and landscapes in Venice and the surrounding region. He trained at the Accademia di Belle Arti in Venice and from 1894 ...

painted canvases and frescoes to repair the damage. The remains of the fragments of Tiepolo's work are now in the

Gallerie dell'Accademia The Gallerie dell'Accademia is a museum gallery of pre-19th-century art in Venice, northern Italy. It is housed in the Scuola della Carità on the south bank of the Grand Canal, within the sestiere of Dorsoduro. It was originally the gallery o ...

. It is possible to see a real and complete view of this work in a 1914 picture by James Anderson, a 1914 copy by Mariano Fortuny, and a 2020 drawing by Olivier Maceratesi. Santa Maria degli Scalzi (Venice) - Interior.jpg, The

nave The nave () is the central part of a church, stretching from the (normally western) main entrance or rear wall, to the transepts, or in a church without transepts, to the chancel. When a church contains side aisles, as in a basilica-type ...

toward the

main altar Santa Maria degli Scalzi (Venice) - Ceilling by Ettore Tito.jpg, Ceiling by

Accademia - Trasporto della Santa Casa di Loreto by Giambattista Tiepolo.jpg, Transportation of the Holy House of Loreto, now in the

Inside facade

Above the door: organ with carved and gilded decorations and reliefs. Above the organ: lunette ''Santa Teresa crowned by the Savior'' (18th century) by G. Lazzarini. Santa Maria degli Scalzi (Venice) - Organ.jpg, Inside facade with organ Santa Maria degli Scalzi (Venice) - Santa Teresa incoronata dal Salvatore by Gregorio Lazzarini.jpg, ''Santa Teresa incoronata dal Salvatore'' by

Gregorio Lazzarini Gregorio Lazzarini (1657 – 10 November 1730) was an Italian painter of mythological, religious and historical subjects, as well as portraits. One of the most successful Venetian artists of the day, a prominent teacher, and father to a signific ...

The Choir

The altar was completed by Giuseppe Pozzo. Choir ceiling by Giuseppe and Domenico Valeriani. Santa Maria degli Scalzi (Venice) - Main Altar.jpg, Main Altar Santa Maria degli Scalzi (Venice) - Ceiling choir.jpg, Choir Ceiling

Chapels

Chapel Mora

Attributed to the Mora family. Built by Baldassare Longhena. The altarpiece with four columns of black jasper shows a statue of Saint John the Baptist in Carrara marble (late seventeenth century) by Melchior Barthel. A ceiling fresco depicts the eternal Father in glory (seventeenth century) by Pietro Liberi. Giambattista Mora is buried at the foot of the altar. Santa Maria degli Scalzi (Venice) - Cappella Mora.jpg, Chapel Mora by

Baldassare Longhena Baldassare Longhena (1598 – 18 February 1682) was an Italian architect, who worked mainly in Venice, where he was one of the greatest exponents of Baroque architecture of the period. Biography Born in Venice, Longhena studied under the architec ...

. Santa Maria degli Scalzi (Venice) - Cappella Mora - John the Baptist by Melchior Barthel.jpg, John the Baptist by Melchior Barthel

Chapel Ruzzini

Attributed to the Ruzzini family. The altar was built and designed by Giuseppe Pozzo. The altarpiece: Ecstasy of Santa Teresa (1697) by Heinrich Meyring. On the vault a fresco The Gloria of St. Teresa (1720–1725) by

Giovanni Battista Tiepolo Giovanni Battista Tiepolo ( , ; March 5, 1696 – March 27, 1770), also known as Giambattista (or Gianbattista) Tiepolo, was an Italian painter and printmaker from the Republic of Venice who painted in the Rococo style, considered an impo ...

. The side walls: two paintings by Niccolò Bambini; The left painting ''Saint Joseph appears to Saint Teresa and saves her from a dangerous encounter'' on the right: ''The miracle of the host''; The consecrated host miraculously detaches itself from the priest's hands to wait for Saint Teresa (end of the seventeenth century). Santa Maria degli Scalzi (Venice) - E. Meyring Estasi su santa Teresa di Gesù.jpg, ''St Theresa in Extasis'' by

Heinrich Meyring Heinrich Meyring/ Heinrich Meiering (1628 – 11 February 1723) was a German sculptor, active mainly in Venice and the Veneto. He is also known as ''Enrico Merengo'' or ''Arrigo Merengo''. Meyring was born in Rheine, Westphalia. He is cons ...

(1697) Santa Maria degli Scalzi (Venice) - L'apoteosi di santa Teresa (1722-24) - Giambattista Tiepolo.jpg, ''The Gloria of St. Teresa ''

Giovanni Batista Tiepolo Giovanni Battista Tiepolo ( , ; March 5, 1696 – March 27, 1770), also known as Giambattista (or Gianbattista) Tiepolo, was an Italian painter and printmaker from the Republic of Venice who painted in the Rococo style, considered an impor ...

Santa Maria degli Scalzi (Venice) - L'apoteosi di santa Teresa (1722-24) - Giambattista Tiepolo Close-up.jpg, ''The Gloria of St. Teresa ''close-up Santa Maria degli Scalzi (Venice) - Miracolosa comunione du santa Terese di Gesu - Niccolò Bambini.jpg, ''The miracle of the host'' by

Niccolò Bambini Niccolò Bambini (1651–1736) was an Italian painter of the late-Renaissance and early-Baroque periods. Biography He was born in Venice in 1651, and first studied under Giulio Mazzoni at Venice. To this period belong the ceiling of the church o ...

Santa Maria degli Scalzi (Venice) - San Giuseppe appare a Santa Teresa e la libera da un pericoloso incontro - Niccolò Bambini.jpg, ''Saint Joseph appears to Saint Teresae'' byv

Chapel Manin

Here is buried the last doge of Venice,

Ludovico Manin Ludovico Giovanni Manin (; ; 14 May 1725 – 24 October 1802) was a Venetian politician, Venetian nobility, patrician, and the List of Doges of Venice, 120th and last Doge of Venice. He governed the Venetian Republic from 9 March 1789 until its ...

, who died on 23 October 1802. The chapel was built by brother Giuseppe Pozzo. The altarpiece shows a sculpture of "The Virgin and Child and St. Joseph in the Clouds" by

Giuseppe Torretto Giuseppe Torretto or Torretti (1661 in Pagnano – 1743 in Venice) was an Italian sculptor of statues and intaglios. Mainly working in Venice, statues by him can be found in the churches of Santa Maria Formosa, I Gesuiti, Santa Maria di Nazar ...

, the author of the two angels. On the sidewalls of the chapel: statues, Archangel Michael and Archangel Gabriel, from the same Giuseppe Torretto. The two blue glass candelabras are Murano glassworks. Santa Maria degli Scalzi (Venice) - Cappella Manin.jpg

Chapel Venier

Built by Sebastiano Venier (not to be confused with the doge

Sebastiano Venier Sebastiano Venier (or Veniero) (c. 1496 – 3 March 1578) was Doge of Venice from 11 June 1577 to 3 March 1578. He is best remembered in his role as the Venetian admiral at the Battle of Lepanto. Biography Venier was born in Venice around 1496. ...

), abbot and apostolic protonotary, which is buried in the chapel (died 1664), as well as his brother Angelo. The altarpiece shows a statue of St. Sebastian (1669) by Bernardo Falconi. The main altar is enriched with bronze bas-reliefs with episodes from the life of St. Sebastian of the same Bernardo Falconi. Santa Maria degli Scalzi (Venice) - Cappella Venier.jpg, Chapel Venier Santa Maria degli Scalzi (Venice) - Cappella Venier - Saint Sebastian by Bernardo Falconi.jpg, Saint Sebastian by Bernardo Falconi Santa Maria degli Scalzi (Venice) - Cappella Venier - Bust of Sebastiano Venier.jpg, Sebastiano Venier by Bernardo Falconi Santa Maria degli Scalzi (Venice) - Cappella Venier - Bust of Angelo Venier.jpg, Angelo Venier by Bernardo Falconi Other works of art include a ''St Theresa in Extasis'' (1697) by

and a ''Crucifixion'' by

Giovanni Maria Morlaiter Giovanni Maria Morlaiter (15 February 1699 – 22 February 1781) was an Italian sculptor of the Rococo or late-Baroque, active mainly in his native Venice. Biography Almost all the sculpture in the church of the Gesuati, Venice is the work of M ...

. Canvases by Tiepolo such as ''Apotheosis of St. Teresa'' and ''Christ at Gesthemane'' (1732) are displayed prominently in the church. The ashes of

, the last

Doge of Venice The Doge of Venice ( ; vec, Doxe de Venexia ; it, Doge di Venezia ; all derived from Latin ', "military leader"), sometimes translated as Duke (compare the Italian '), was the chief magistrate and leader of the Republic of Venice between 726 a ...

, are entombed here.

References

External links

*
Giambattista Tiepolo, 1696-1770
a full-text exhibition catalog from The Metropolitan Museum of Art, which includes material on Scalzi {{DEFAULTSORT:Scalzi Venice Roman Catholic churches in Venice Baroque architecture in Venice 17th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in Italy Baldassare Longhena buildings