AUTHOR: Jacopo Negretti known as Palma il Giovane
CENTURY: XVI°
CHURCH: Church of San Giacomo dall’Orio
POSITION: old sacristy – entrance wall (on map n°24)
METHOD: oil painting on canvas
The cycle of the old sacristy paintings was realised by Jacopo Palma il Giovane between 1575 and 1581, for the will of the parson at that time, Giovanni Maria Da Ponte. On one side the work underlines it’s sacrifice by nature renewed on the altar, on the other proclaimed as the central sacrament of the christian life. According to tradition, the pix theme was prefigured by a series of narrations from the Old Testament placed alongside the walls of the room; scenes of the Parting of the Red Sea, of The Bronze Serpent, The Fall of Manna and Elijah fed by the Angel. In addition, over the door, there is Christ laid in the Sepulchre, and the representation of the Paschal lamb. Finally, here is also conserved a little canvas that illustrates the Crucifix, but that originally was located where today is placed the large cabinet. Moschini recounts that already by 1815 the work was found under that of the Paschal Lamb, as confirmed by Costantini in 1911. The keystone of the entire cycle is the scene set in the central of the ceiling with The Blessed and the Four Evangelists. This scene, characterised by a strong perspective, is a clear conviction of the doctrine Protestants, as sign of particular adherence to the decrees of the Council of Trento. Christ is represented under the only kind of his bread, and is exposed to the adoration of the believers: the affirmation of presence of Christ. In fact, the four evangelists are also illustrated as witnesses of the truth.
