The Ten Thousand Martyrs on the Mount Ararat
by CARPACCIO, Vittore, Tempera on canvas, 307 x 205 cm
The painting comes from the now demolished church of Sant’Antonio di Castello. The altarpiece tells the story of the Roman soldiers who converted to Christianity and were then sent to die by their own emperor, in league with the rulers of the east. It celebrates the glory won during the Turkish wars by the family of the donor, Ettore Ottobon.