AUTHORS: Antonio Vivarini, Giovanni d’Alemagna
CENTURY: 15th century
CHURCH: Church of San Zaccaria
DATE: 1443
LOCATION: Chapel of San Tarasio (on map number 14)
TECHNIQUE: Mixed media on wood panel
The polyptych, also known as the Sepulcher, housed the Most Holy Sacrament, enclosed behind a door panel that features the bust of Christ in the center, surrounded by a spiral of busts of prophets. Above the door panel, there is a bas-relief group of the Weeping Women, while in the center of the second register, the Resurrected Christ is sculpted within an elaborate niche, with a hilly landscape painted in the background. This landscape is unique in the contemporary artistic panorama and shows the influence of Gentile da Fabriano on Vivarini. The great wealth of relics possessed by the church is highlighted by the depiction of Saint Caius Pope and Pancras on the left, and Nereus and Achilleus on the right, in the two side panels of the lower register. On the top of the outer pinnacles, there is an Annunciation scene. The patrons, mentioned in an inscription on the artwork, were Sister Margherita Donà and Sister Agnesina Giustinian.
