MASSARI, Giorgio

The huge ballroom is a glittering expression of the luminous, noble, and serene spirit of eighteenth-century Venice. It was designed to welcome and astonish guests entering from the main staircase. The room retains the original frescoes by Giovanni Battista Crosato, one of the masters of the Rococo. The ceiling is painted with allegories of the four regions of the world.

In 1667 Filippo Bon commissioned the construction of his new residence from Baldassare Longhena on the site of several demolished building. At the death of Longhena in 1682 the palace was incomplete. The building was sold to the Rezzonico family who entrusted the construction to Giorgio Massari. The building was completed in 1756 with the decoration of the fa�ade, the stairway from the canal and the area to the rear with the airy large staircase leading to the huge ballroom.

The fa�ade is horizontally divided into three large bands: the ground floor has its ashlar-work and three lancet water gate. On the two upper floors, the ends of which are delimited by twin columns, the windows flanked by half-columns are arched, with carved heads on the keystone and carved figures in the extrados. The garret is decorated with oval openings. The two upper floors have continuous balconies supported by projecting frames and barbicans.

The interior rooms were decorated with frescoes by Jacopo Guarana, Gaspare Diziani and Giovanni Battista Tiepolo. In 1935 the palace was turned into the 18th century Venetian museum.

The Gesuati church, officially dedicated to Santa Maria del Rosario, was built between 1525 and 1536 by the Poor Gesuati order, which had arrived in Venice from Tuscany. After the suppression of Gesuati order, Dominicans bought the place and constructed the present church, bigger than the previous one. They commissioned Giorgio Massari, whose model for the new church was accepted in 1724.

The fa�ade of the church rises above the busy, shifting waterfront on the Fondamenta delle Zattere, harmonizing with the Palladian buildings across the Giudecca Canal. The niches containing statues and the carved decorations are framed by giant Corinthian columns.

The Gesuati church, officially dedicated to Santa Maria del Rosario, was built between 1525 and 1536 by the Poor Gesuati order, which had arrived in Venice from Tuscany. After the suppression of Gesuati order, Dominicans bought the place and constructed the present church, bigger than the previous one. They commissioned Giorgio Massari, whose model for the new church was accepted in 1724.

The fa�ade of the church rises above the busy, shifting waterfront on the Fondamenta delle Zattere, harmonizing with the Palladian buildings across the Giudecca Canal. The niches containing statues and the carved decorations are framed by giant Corinthian columns.

The decoration of the interior commenced in 1736, ten years after building started. The interior of the church is a single , spacious chamber flanked by chapels and terminating in a luminous, domed chancel. It is decorated with statues and bas-reliefs by Giovan Maria Morlaiter. On the ceiling of the nave are frescoes by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo painted between 1737-39.

The decoration of the interior commenced in 1736, ten years after building started. The interior of the church is a single , spacious chamber flanked by chapels and terminating in a luminous, domed chancel. It is decorated with statues and bas-reliefs by Giovan Maria Morlaiter. On the ceiling of the nave are frescoes by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo painted between 1737-39.

The main fa�ade of this palace in the Venetian Classical style faces onto the Canal Grande while one side onto Campo San Samuele. Its construction was started in 1748 by Giorgio Massari but it was completed only in 1772, after the death of the architect.

The external appearance of the palace is sober, clean and almost “flat”, contrasting with Ca’ Rezzonico on the opposite bank, also the work of Massari. It is almost unadorned on a luminous plane which anticipates the Neo-classical spirit. The fa�ade adopts the traditional Venetian three-part arrangement with the central windows gathered around the centre. Over the ground floor there are a mezzanine, two upper floors and the loft. The two upper floors differ in terms of the shape of the windows: round arches on the first floor and rectangular with curved or triangular tympanum on the second floor, highlighted by smooth pilasters with Ionic and Corinthian capitals.

The main fa�ade of this palace in the Venetian Classical style faces onto the Canal Grande while one side onto Campo San Samuele. Its construction was started in 1748 by Giorgio Massari but it was completed only in 1772, after the death of the architect.

The external appearance of the palace is sober, clean and almost “flat”, contrasting with Ca’ Rezzonico on the opposite bank, also the work of Massari. It is almost unadorned on a luminous plane which anticipates the Neo-classical spirit. The fa�ade adopts the traditional Venetian three-part arrangement with the central windows gathered around the centre. Over the ground floor there are a mezzanine, two upper floors and the loft. The two upper floors differ in terms of the shape of the windows: round arches on the first floor and rectangular with curved or triangular tympanum on the second floor, highlighted by smooth pilasters with Ionic and Corinthian capitals.

The main fa�ade of this palace in the Venetian Classical style faces onto the Canal Grande while one side onto Campo San Samuele. Its construction was started in 1748 by Giorgio Massari but it was completed only in 1772, after the death of the architect.

The external appearance of the palace is sober, clean and almost “flat”, contrasting with Ca’ Rezzonico on the opposite bank, also the work of Massari. It is almost unadorned on a luminous plane which anticipates the Neo-classical spirit. The fa�ade adopts the traditional Venetian three-part arrangement with the central windows gathered around the centre. Over the ground floor there are a mezzanine, two upper floors and the loft. The two upper floors differ in terms of the shape of the windows: round arches on the first floor and rectangular with curved or triangular tympanum on the second floor, highlighted by smooth pilasters with Ionic and Corinthian capitals.

The picture shows the fa�ade facing onto the Canal Grande.

The main fa�ade of this palace in the Venetian Classical style faces onto the Canal Grande while one side onto Campo San Samuele. Its construction was started in 1748 by Giorgio Massari but it was completed only in 1772, after the death of the architect.

The external appearance of the palace is sober, clean and almost “flat”, contrasting with Ca’ Rezzonico on the opposite bank, also the work of Massari. It is almost unadorned on a luminous plane which anticipates the Neo-classical spirit. The fa�ade adopts the traditional Venetian three-part arrangement with the central windows gathered around the centre. Over the ground floor there are a mezzanine, two upper floors and the loft. The two upper floors differ in terms of the shape of the windows: round arches on the first floor and rectangular with curved or triangular tympanum on the second floor, highlighted by smooth pilasters with Ionic and Corinthian capitals.

The picture shows the fa�ade facing onto the Canal Grande.

The main fa�ade of this palace in the Venetian Classical style faces onto the Canal Grande while one side onto Campo San Samuele. Its construction was started in 1748 by Giorgio Massari but it was completed only in 1772, after the death of the architect.

The external appearance of the palace is sober, clean and almost “flat”, contrasting with Ca’ Rezzonico on the opposite bank, also the work of Massari. It is almost unadorned on a luminous plane which anticipates the Neo-classical spirit. The fa�ade adopts the traditional Venetian three-part arrangement with the central windows gathered around the centre. Over the ground floor there are a mezzanine, two upper floors and the loft. The two upper floors differ in terms of the shape of the windows: round arches on the first floor and rectangular with curved or triangular tympanum on the second floor, highlighted by smooth pilasters with Ionic and Corinthian capitals.

Massari went counter to local tradition by planning this palace around a square courtyard. The entrance on the Grand Canal leads to the main staircase, which has fresco decorations by Michelangelo Morlaiter and is flanked by trompe l’oeil balconies populated with curious figures looking out. The staircase is one of the few parts of the palace to retain its original decorations.

Massari went counter to local tradition by planning this palace around a square courtyard. The entrance on the Grand Canal leads to the main staircase, which has fresco decorations by Michelangelo Morlaiter and is flanked by trompe l’oeil balconies populated with curious figures looking out. The staircase is one of the few parts of the palace to retain its original decorations.