Ca’ d’Oro, Venice (1421-1437) Flashcards
Q: Who commissioned the Ca’ d’Oro, and who were the architects?
A: Marino Contarini commissioned the Ca’ d’Oro. Architects included Giovanni Bon, his son Bartolomeo Bon, and Matteo Raverti (stonemason).
why did contarini commission it
*His wife, died only five years later, and he probably intended his magnificent new palace to serve as a monument to her memory
-as a trading house
-to show his status as a prmonent venetian (his family boasted 3 doges)
Q: When was the Ca’ d’Oro built?
A: Between 1421-1437.
Q: Where is the Ca’ d’Oro located?
A: In the Cannaregio district, on the north bank of the Grand Canal, opposite the fish market and near the Rialto Bridge in Venice.
Its location was practical for the needs of the patron who was a merchant and used the palace as a warehouse.
Q: What was the intended function of the Ca’ d’Oro?
A: It was a casa-fondaco, serving as both a residence and a trading warehouse, reflecting the patron’s mercantile background.
Q: What restrictions existed in Venice on naming palaces?
A: Only residences of the Doge, the Patriarch of Grado, and the Bishop of Venice could be called “Palazzi”; others were called “Ca’” or “Casa.”
Q: How did the dowry of Marino Contarini’s first wife contribute to the Ca’ d’Oro?
A: Soradamore Zeno’s dowry likely funded the construction, and the palace served as a monument to her memory after her death.
Q: What architectural style is the Ca’ d’Oro associated with?
A: Venetian Floral Gothic.
Q: How does the Ca’ d’Oro reflect Venetian Gothic traditions?
A: It uses marble bas-relief plaques, colored marble columns, and ogee arches, continuing the legacy of Venetian Gothic palaces.
Q: What influence does the Doge’s Palace have on the design of the Ca’ d’Oro?
A: The trilobed ogee arches and intricate loggias echo the Doge’s Palace, symbolizing Contarini’s elite status.
Q: What role did Zuan di Franza play in the Ca’ d’Oro’s decoration?
A: He was a French painter tasked with gilding and painting ultramarine blue details on the façade, creating a vibrant, polychromatic effect.
Q: Describe the ground-level plan of the Ca’ d’Oro.
A: It includes a C-shaped layout with an androne (long hall) used as a water gate, storage rooms, and offices. The land entrance leads to a walled courtyard with a well and a staircase to the piano nobile.
ANDRONE
*The androne often also held stables for horses and mules
*On either side of the androne were offices and a storage room for merchandise
COURTYARD
-exterior courtyard which surrounds a large well – a vital source of fresh water. This also contains a staircase leading up to the first piano nobile.
-This courtyard also lets light and air into the centre of the building
DESCRIPTION OF FIRST PIANO NOBILE
- A loggia on the first piano nobile lets light and air into the building and offered residents fabulous views of life on the grand canal. It also allowed people on the canal to glimpse life within the palace, particularly when candles were lit at night.
DESCRIPTION OF SECOND PIANO NOBILE
*The second piano nobile was very similar to the first and probably designed as a separate apartment for one of Contarini’s brothers. It was very common for several members of a family to live in the same palace in separate apartments.
Q: What challenges did Venetian architects face in terms of lighting?
A: Narrow canals and tightly packed buildings required large windows and open loggias to maximize natural light.
Q: How were servants accommodated in the Ca’ d’Oro?
A: Their quarters were located in a mezzanine under the roof.
Q: What decorative features are prominent on the Ca’ d’Oro façade?
A: Pointed Gothic arches, pendent tracery, rope moldings, dogtooth patterns, and alternating red and gray marble squares.
WHAT WERE CLASSICAL FEATURES ON THE FACADE
*The Watergate is articulated by a wide central elliptical arch flanked by four narrower pointed arches. These arches are supported by Corinthian columns.
Q: How was the façade gilded and painted?
A: Using white lead and oil for sheen, red Verona marble details were oiled, and gilded balls, lions, and rope moldings were highlighted with ultramarine blue backgrounds.
Q: What is the symbolic significance of the façade’s tripartite design?
A: It represents the Venetian aesthetic of combining materials, light, and water reflections to create a “kaleidoscopic” effect.
FACADE IS LOOSELY ORGANISED IN A TRIPARTATE PLAN
: What materials and techniques were used for the foundations?
A: Piles of Istrian pine were driven into the lagoon bed, topped with alternating layers of Istrian stone and brick to prevent dampness and ensure stability.
How did Venetian builders ensure the structure floated on the lagoon?
A: By fully submerging wooden piles to petrify them, providing a stable platform for construction.
Q: How does the Ca’ d’Oro reflect Marino Contarini’s status?
A: Its lavish design, borrowed elements from the Doge’s Palace, and prominent location on the Grand Canal assert his wealth and elite standing.
how does it quote the doge’s palace
loggias on it quote the variations on the upper portico of the doge’s palace
Q: What role did Contarini’s personal involvement play in the construction?
A: He directly oversaw the project and commissioned specific design details, ensuring the palace embodied his vision and status.
Q: How did Humanism influence the Ca’ d’Oro?
A: The emphasis on classical forms and individual patronage reflects the Renaissance humanist ideal of celebrating personal achievement and legacy
references to patron: the contarini coat of arms
how is civic pride shown
lion-headed corbels: The lion was also an emblem of St. Mark, the patron saint of Venice, further tying the symbol to the civic identity of the city.
Raverti, prominent in venice did the mouldings and tracery
quotes doges palace
Q: How did Venetian Gothic traditions shape the palace?
A: The intricate tracery, polychrome materials, and blend of local and Byzantine influences are hallmarks of Venetian Gothic design.
Q: How did Venice’s mercantile economy influence the Ca’ d’Oro’s function?
A: Its dual role as residence and trading warehouse reflects Venice’s commercial priorities and the patron’s merchant background.
Q: What does Loren Partridge say about Venetian palace façades?
A: “A Venetian palace façade could appear to be a glistening, kaleidoscopic, ever-shifting illusion miraculously floating on the water… conjoining the four fundamental elements of the universe – earth, water, air, and fire.”
Q: How are Byzantine mosaic traditions reflected in the Ca’ d’Oro?
A: The extensive use of gold leaf, colored glass, and intricate patterns on both the exterior and interior closely mirrors the decorative opulence of Byzantine mosaics, emphasizing light and reflection.
Q: What aspect of the Ca’ d’Oro’s design highlights Byzantine polychromatic traditions?
A: The interplay of red, white, and green marble in the façade and interiors echoes Byzantine polychromatic schemes, symbolizing wealth and artistic connection with Constantinople.
Q: How were the living quarters designed in the Ca’ d’Oro?
A: The piano nobile (noble floor) was lavishly decorated, with Venetian Gothic and Byzantine stylistic elements such as carved stone window surrounds, painted beams, and luxurious furnishings.
place in grid
Secular architecture, venice
who did the mouldings and painted decoration
- Contarini entrusted the tracery of the main loggia to Matteo Raverti
