The Veneto – the land of the old Venetian Republic. I was here five years ago studying History of Art with the University of Warwick. As well as studying in Venice we looked at the art of Padua, Verona and Vicenza. It was in Vicenza that we spent time with the Palladian architecture, which the city is famous for, but also were immersed in other works at churches and the Teatro Olympico. It is to Vicenza that we returned today in sweltering heat!

The Church of Santa Corona contains the burial place of Andrea Palladio but also has some excellent Venetian Renaissance masterpieces and the painting that attracts most attention is Giovanni Bellini’s The Baptism of Christ, completed around 1500. In 2019 I wrote about the beautiful Madonna and Child with Saint Catherine and Saint Mary Magdalene, of 1490 in the Accademia in Venice. The Vicenza painting is on a different scale from that intimate triple portrait, standing some 4m high and dominating the central altar within the enormous Garzadori altarpiece, full of flowers, cherubs and cornucopia. The whole is a tribute to Garzadori’s safe return from a pilgrimage to the Holy Land and the River Jordan in the fifteenth century. 

The Baptism of Christ is a well documented event and has many portrayals in Western Art. Here, Bellini treats us to an exhibition of Venetian confidence. The characters and landscape are from the Italy of the period. 

Christ, without the characteristic full beard stands at the centre facing the audience. Above him on this central axis is God the Father releasing the Holy Spirit, as John baptises his subject in the River Jordan. Note how the river dries up as it reaches Christ’s feet, allegorical intent so there is no divine reflection. The three women on the left, dressed in very bright Renaissance attire would normally be angelic are allegories of the three Virtues (Hope, Faith and Charity). See the treatment by Pierre della Francesco of these virtues in his painting of the Baptism in 1440, in the National Gallery in London.

Look also at some of Bellini’s allegorical additions. The hut on the right represents the Old Testament and the Castle on the left, the New Testament. The Passion of Christ is represented by the red parrot in the foreground. The huge painting is on board and it is difficult to take in the whole as the reflecting light is at different levels. The optimum distance seems to be by the central altar which is far enough back to take in the whole scene comfortably.

So my painting of the month for September reminds of the time in Venice with the 2019 cohort as well as a really good visit today. If you only have a short time in the area Vicenza is a far more manageable  visit than Venice or Verona., but equally rewarding.