At the turn of the eighteenth century, Gregorio Lazzarini (1655-1730) was commissioned by the Scuola Grande dei Carmini to paint a grand narrative to cover the entire south wall of their magnificent upper hall, the Sala Capitolare. The result was three canvasses, The Adoration of the Magi, An Angel Guiding the Shepherds, The Annunciation to the Shepherds (1704), which form a continuous scene.  

Lazzarini was renowned for his grand narratives on canvas in the Venetian tradition, and his Carmini compositions are not only filled with charm and incident, but also ingeniously respond to the setting, deftly navigating two doorways and the ceremonial stairway.  The Adoration of the Magi is particularly charming, with the three kings arrayed in splendid garments surrounded by their entourage and camels, and in keeping with tradition representing three ages and different corners of the globe.  Lazzarini’s sensitivity to the light and the features of the setting is evident in the Adoration, positioned near the windows and rendered in a luminous diurnal atmosphere, whereas the shepherd scenes, further from the windows, are appropriately conceived as nocturnes. He playfully animates the architectural features of the wall with narrative detail—a shepherd boy climbs to a hayloft between a door and the stairway, while an angel’s foot dangles into the void created by a broken pediment. 

Opposite the Lazzarini canvasses on the south wall, are the pictures by Antonio Zanchi, which were recently restored by Venice in Peril. By contrast with the bold drama and chiaroscuro of Zanchi’s works, Lazzarini’s paintings evoke the sumptuous luxury and colour of Paolo Veronese, as well as showing a delicacy of touch anticipating the luminosity of the Rococo. Indeed, his palette and style would inform his celebrated pupil, Giovanni Battista Tiepolo, whose work is represented in the same hall in the famous ceiling paintings.   

Venice in Peril is pleased to continue its collaboration with the Scuola Grande dei Carmini, particularly so in safeguarding these superb works, the subjects of which must have resonated strongly with members of the Scuola. Not only does the nativity theme recall the Scuola’s Marian devotion, but the presentation of gifts recalls the Scuola’s charitable mission of providing dowries for young brides from poor families, thus enabling them to marry and have children, and sparing them from the alternative of entering a convent.  

The paintings are being conserved to address the deleterious effects of accumulated deposits, ensure their stability and longevity, and improve legibility. Each canvas will be carefully removed and rolled for transportation to Maristella Volpin’s restoration laboratory in Padua. The project will proceed one canvas at a time, ensuring the Sala remains suitably adorned for ceremonial use. 

The project will span three years and will entail total costs of €82,000.