Allegory of the Scuola di San Marco
by TINTORETTO, Oil on canvas, 90 x 190 cm
Among the sixteen allegories around the central painting on the ceiling of the Sala dell’Albergo are five allegorical figures of the Scoule Grandi of Venice. These and the other allegorical figures of the Cardinal Virtues are portrayed in forced and artificial poses and attitudes of truly Mannerist origin. They were particularly studied by Tintoretto in preliminary drawings.
In the Allegory of the Scuola di San Marco, the Saint lies opposite Saint John the Evangelist and like the latter, dedicates himself to reading.