Biblioteca Marciana

Question 1

function?

Answer 1

A centre of learning and classical knowledge, built to house the manuscripts of the Venetian Republic.

Question 2

composition?

Answer 2

Two storey building derived from classical architecture.

Question 3

ground floor arcade?

Answer 3

Doric order. Simplest order (according to Vitruvius)

Question 4

Keystones?

Answer 4

Carved into alternating masks and lion’s heads. (The lion is the symbol of Venice)

Question 5

Piano nobile (second floor)

Answer 5

Uses the ionic order – demonstrating the hierarchy of orders.

Question 6

pilasters?

Answer 6

Accentuate the verticality of the building – appears more imposing and grand.

Question 7

Frieze?

Answer 7

Features putti bearing garlands. Elaborate carving signifies wealth.

Question 8

Balustrade?

Answer 8

Above the frieze – supports obelisks and statues of Gods and heroes.

Question 9

Sense of grandeur?

Answer 9

Projecting cornices and half columns create shadows which enhances the play of light (chiaroscuro), giving the building a grandioise, impressive appearance.

Question 10

Venetian style?

Answer 10

Combines the classical style of the High Renaissance with the more flamboyant Venetian style.

Question 11

Influence of Classicism?

Answer 11

Seen in the use of classical orders, columns, arcades and arched windows. . The intent was to invoke the memory of the ancient Roman republic and, in the aftermath of the Sack of Rome in 1527, to present Venice as Rome’s true successor.

Question 12

Library of the roman emperor?

Answer 12

Sansovino was inspired by the classical writer Pausanias’s description of the library of Roman Emperor Hadrian.The Venetian Republic sought to portray itself as a centre of learning and Classical knowledge.

Question 13

Piazza di San Marco?

Answer 13

The Piazza San Marco forms the social, religious, political and administrative centre of Venice and includes the Doges Palace, the Zecca (the Mint), the Library and the Basilica of San Marco.

Question 14

Located in the Piazzetta?

Answer 14

The entrance to the city. The biblioteca was flanked by Sansovino’s Library on one side and the Palazzo Ducale on the other. This urban space is designed to act as a both a symbolic and physical manifestation of the power, pride and prestige of the Venetian Republic.

Question 15

Sansovino’s renovations of Venice?

Answer 15

The program called for the transformation of Saint Mark’s Square from an antiquated medieval town center with food vendors, money changers, and even latrines into a classical forum. This project of renovatio Urbis (urban renovation) showcased the power and architectural splendour of the Serenissima (Venetian Republic).

Question 16

Foundation myth of Venice?

Answer 16

Venice aspired to being the ‘New Rome’ and the Sack of Rome in 1527 catalysed this aspiration. Its foundation myth was based on refugees fleeing the Barbarian invasion of Rome.

Question 17

Renewed interest in classicism?

Answer 17

The Humanist emphasis on the knowledge of the classic world was essential to the formation of the Renaissance man, and led to a proliferation of court libraries, patronized by princely rulers, such as the Bilioteca.

Question 18

Venice in cinquecento?

Answer 18

Boasted a stable republican government led by a Doge, wealth from trade, and a unique location as a gateway between Europe and the East.

Question 19

Sansovino?

Answer 19

Appointed state superintendent of building by Doge Andrea Gritti in 1529, he designed palaces, churches, and public buildings, uniting the classical architectural tradition with the more highly ornamented Venetian style.

Question 20

Doge Gritti (patron)?

Answer 20

Both the spiritual and political leader of Venice. The construction of the library was an integral part of the renovatio Urbis (urban renovation), the vast architectural program begun under Doge Andrea Gritti to reaffirm Venice’s international prestige.

Question 21

Istrain Stone?

Answer 21

A dense type of impermeable limestone. White colour contrasts well with the coloured marble popular in Venetian architecture. Weathers well - very dense and strong.

Question 22

Venetian architecture?

Answer 22

Venice’s geographical position and political history directly influenced the development of its architectural style. The need for strongly fortified buildings was less necessary in Venice than in other inland Italian cities such as Florence, therefore Venetian architecture was often more grandiose and ornate. Due to its prominent trading location, materials such as glass, coloured marble, Istrian stone, and eastern imports and influences were easily available.