Monuments Tron & Foscari
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Aside
the Assumption, the Main Chapel
hosts the monuments of two
great men of the Serenissima
Repubblica, facing each other
on the walls of the presbytery
as they were put there just
in order to
watch over Tiziano's precious
masterpiece. No such noble
task could have ever been
committed to
nobler men than Doge Nicola
Tron and Doge Francesco Foscari.
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Monument to doge Tron
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Doge Nicola Tron
(1471-1473) was a rich merchant
who donated his wealth to
the Republic in time of
need, thus being worthy
of an ever- lasting memorial
beyond the dogate. Vivid
example of public spirit
and earnestness, he was
the first Doge to be represented
standing on his funerary
monument, whereas all his
predecessors had been portrayed
lying in death.
His monument is situated
on the left wall of the
presbytery and can
rightly be reckoned as the
grandest work of sculpture
of the Venetian
Renaissance for its size
and structure. Conceived
and executed by the
Veronese artist Antonio
Rizzo, the monument is divided
into four orders
and its bulk is lightened
by the masterly arrangement
of 22 statues. In
the first order is set the
statue of the Doge, standing
with the statues of
Charity and Faith on either
side. Two warriors holding
the shield of
the Tron family and two
fine bas-reliefs are placed
in the second order.
The third order keeps the
sarcophagus of Doge Tron,
adorned by three
little statues representing
Prudence, Wisdom and Fortitude
and the
statues of Song and Harmony
on the sides. The seven
statues lined up
in the fourth order embody
other virtues and allegories.
The monument
ends with a round arch in
Renaissance style to cut
off any upward line.
In the lunette is the Risen
Christ with the Annunciation
at the sides, the
Eternal Father looking after
on top.
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Doge
Francesco Foscari (1423
- 1457) was one of Venice's
greatest
Doges and a legendary figure,
immortalised by writers and
musicians.
During his long dogate he widened
the Republic's boundaries far
and away to River Adda and to
Ravenna with the aid of the
famous generals Carmagnola,
Gattamelata and Colleoni.
Deposed unjustly by the Council
of Ten, legend has it that he
died
by broken heart on 30th October
1457 to the sound of the bells
announcing the nomination of
his successor.
His coat o f arms can be seen
in the Foscari Loggia in the
Ducal Pa-
lace and in Foscari Palace (
Ca' Foscari ), now seat of the
University.
His mortal remains rest in this
splendid monument, work by the
Flo-
rentine artist Nicolò
di Giovanni, where the decorative
Gothic is finely
wed with the harmony of Renaissance.
The sarcophagus is supported
by four graceful corbels displaying
the three theological
virtues: Faith, Hope and Charity.
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Monument to doge Foscari
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On the sides are St.Mark
and St.Antony from Padua.
The four cardinal
virtues, after leading Doge
Foscari throughout his life,
now attend
him at the corners of the
sarcophagus: Fortitude, Justice,
Prudence
and Temperance.
A deep sense of peace comes
from the image of the two
warriors un-
furling the canopy, while
the Risen Christ draws the
Doge's soul, in the
figure of a boy, to Heaven.
Above, on the pillars enclosing
the monu-
ment, is portrayed the Annunciation.
Near the monument you can
also admire a 13th century
Crucifix from
the Umbrian School, painted
on wood. The cross is 3.27
x 2.36 metres
and has been venerated and
considered miraculous.
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CiaoVenezia
Via della Centa, 30
33070 Polcenigo (PN) Italy
Fax +39 0434 749634
e-mail:
info@ciaovenezia.com
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