Virtual Research & Restoration Roundtable
Rosand Library & Study Center at Save Venice

Presented by Lorenzo G. Buonanno

Often likened to a jewel box, the church of Santa Maria dei Miracoli in Venice, built by Pietro Lombardo (1481-1489), has long been admired for its rich architectural and sculptural ornamentation. Expensive, colorful marble slabs line its walls inside and out, framed by finely carved stone reliefs of mythological creatures and lush, twisting vegetation. The overall effect of the Miracoli—like Pietro Lombardo’s architectural oeuvre in general—is sometimes dismissed as merely decorative, even pictorial, rather than physically assertive. Countering such interpretations, this talk will draw attention to the ways in which the building’s architectural and ornamental apparatus engage with notions of presence and sensorial stimulation. It will highlight conceptual intersections between the building’s devotional function, the era’s appreciation of sculptural facture, and the nascent aesthetic characterization of the different artistic mediums.

Melissa Conn, the Director of the Venice office, will also speak about Save Venice’s long-standing commitment to preserving this treasured landmark, highlighting the organization’s major campaign to restore the church from 1988 to 1998, the Immediate Response Fund efforts undertaken from 2019-2020, and ongoing conservation work in the presbytery in 2021 in collaboration with the Istituto Veneto per I Beni Culturali restoration school.

Lorenzo G. Buonanno is Assistant Professor in the Art and Art History Department at the University of Massachusetts Boston. Specializing in the art of early modern Venice, he has published essays on the symbolism of charity in confraternity sculpture and architecture, on sculptural virtuosity and competition, on the stone framework Titian’s Frari Assunta, and on the early career of Tintoretto. His book The Performance of Sculpture in Renaissance Venice is forthcoming with Routledge Press.

*This talk will be in English and will take place virtually on the Zoom platform at 17.00 (Venice) | 11:00 AM (Eastern Time). Participation is free and open to all, but registration is required. A recording of the presentation will be available on Save Venice’s YouTube channel.