Restored from 2010 to 2011 with Save Venice general funds.

This painting came to the Accademia in 1838. It originally hung in the Doge’s Palace, in the rooms of the Cattaver, who were magistrates responsible for the recovery of public property, including the goods of those who died without having made a will.

The painting’s central figure, a blessing Christ, holds a book stating, “If you truly speak of justice, make honest judgments, sons of man,” a fitting admonition to the magistrates sitting in judgment. Christ is surrounded by four saints who appeared frequently in Venetian sacred paintings (they may also have been chosen as name-saints of those who worked in that office at the time of commissioning): Vincent Ferrer, a fourteenth-century Spanish preacher of the Dominican order; Augustine, one of Christianity’s most influential fifth-century theologians; Helen, the mother of Emperor Constantine who found the relic of the True Cross in the fourth century; and Francis of Assisi, the thirteenth-century founder of the Franciscan order. On the center pilasters between the saints are four coats-of-arms of Cattaver magistrates.

The identity of the painter has been much debated and the work was also modified, repainted, and suffered heavy losses making attribution more difficult. Because of the canvas’ provenance, he remains generally known as the “Master of the Cattaver.”

The painting was restored by conservator Giulio Bono, with the guidance of project director Giulio Manieri Elia of the Superintendency of Fine Arts of Venice.

For select projects, conservation dossiers in Italian containing limited textual and photographic documentation may be available for consultation by appointment at the Venice office of Save Venice and the Rosand Library & Study Center. For inquiries, please contact us at venice@savevenice.org.

Master of the Cattaver [attr.]
Blessing Savior with Saints Vincent Ferrer, Augustine, Helen, and Francis
1469, egg tempera and oil on canvas
136 x 407 cm

Gallerie dell’Accademia: Homepage

Gallerie dell’Accademia: Link to the Work

Manieri Elia, Giulio, ed. Masterpieces Restored: The Gallerie dell’Accademia and Save Venice Inc. Venice: Marsilio, 2010, pp. 277-296