Wonderous Work

by Norma Brandsberg

Title

Wonderous Work

Artist

Norma Brandsberg

Medium

Photograph - Photograph

Description

This is my favorite church in all of Venice, Chiesa dell'Angelo Raffaele. We were very lucky to be able to photograph the interior. Many of the churches were still closed because of Covid. This was our second visit, our first many years ago. I love the simplicity and elegance of the lines and the unusual colors of the interior. From the simple exterior, there is little reason to expect this stunning interior.

The Chiesa del Angelo Raffaele located in the lessor known Dorsoduro district, Venice. San Raffaele Arcangelo church is one of the only two churches in Venice that are possible to walk all around.

This church was one of the eight churches founded in Venice by St Magnus of Oderzo. The church suffered fires in 889, 1106 and 1149, each time was rebuilt. At the beginning of the 17th century the edifice was in poor condition, and was therefore demolished and rebuilt. Work were finished in 1743–49.

The church plan is a Greek cross, with the façade facing a minor canal named after the church, rio dell'Angelo Raffaele. The interior houses sculptures by Sebastiano Mariani and Michelangelo Morlaiter. Among the statues is one of the Archangel Raphael leading a boy with a fish; the archangel was a patron saint of fishermen.

The center ceiling of the nave and the Baptistry has a decoration by Francesco Fontebasso. The present organ was built in 1821 by the brothers Antonio and Agostino Callido, son of the more famous organ maker, Gaetano Callido. It was restored by Giacomo Bazzani and his sons in 1848, and more recently by the Tamburini family.

This small church is in a distant corner of Venice; it is best known for the painted organ doors depicting the Story of Tobias, attributed to the late 18th century vedutista Gianantonio Guardi. While Guardi is also known for his misty lagoon vistas of Venice, in this religious painting the scene explodes with scintillating brushstrokes. It is a parting demonstration that the Venetian school still had a flash of originality. The pittura di tocco (touch painting) world of these paintings exists in a world where clouds and bodies are feathered with color. A last firework of paint dabbed just a few decades before the real blasts of Napoleonic grapeshot were heard by the last Doge. If you ever have a chance to visit, please do. Perhaps it will be your favorite as well.

Because I love this church so much I will be editing a number of photos for your choice.

Thank you for visiting my gallery store!! All my artwork is available in quality museum type materials meant to give you years of enjoyment. canvas prints, framed prints, acrylic, metal prints, wood prints, or posters in a variety of sizes types and types of papers.

Looking for a birthday, anniversary or Christmas present? Feel free to peruse my galleries. My store has all kinds of household goods, throw pillows/covers, tapestries, duvet covers, shower curtains, fleece blankets, beach and bath towels, tote bags, phone cases for iPhones and Android phones, t-shirts and sweatshirts, mugs, yoga mats, spiral notebooks and greeting cards.

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Uploaded

July 14th, 2021

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Viewed 2,931 Times  -  Last Visitor from Ottawa, ON - Canada on 04/18/2024 at 10:25 PM

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