Restored from 2000 to 2010 with funding from the California Chapter of Save Venice, Young Friends of Save Venice, the Oceanic Heritage Foundation, Saks Fifth Avenue, Mr. and Mrs. J. Winston Fowlkes, The Venetian Club of Trinity College, and Mrs. Lowly de Garcia through the Boston Chapter of Save Venice Inc.

The Treasury of the Basilica di San Marco houses a rich collection of precious objects, many of which were taken from the churches and palaces of Constantinople. The oldest part of the collection was formed after the Fourth Crusade in 1204; following the conquest of the Byzantine capital, crusaders brought many ornate objects back to Venice, including incense holders, chalices, bowls, ewers, cruets, and reliquary caskets. Other pieces executed by Venetian craftsmen were added to the collection, as were numerous gifts from religious and political leaders who visited Venice throughout the centuries.

Although the Treasury boasts one of the largest and most elegant collections of Byzantine enamels in the world, catastrophic fires and many attempted robberies have put the Treasury to a severe test. After the Venetian Republic fell in 1797, Napoleon took many pieces from the Treasury and the entire collection was reduced to its current 283 objects.

Today, one can still admire an impressive array of unique treasures made from gold, silver, crystal, glass, pearls, and precious and semiprecious stones, all of which reflect and represent the rich histories of both Byzantium and Venice.

The objects were restored by conservator Corinna Mattiello, with the guidance of project director Ettore Merkel 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.

Byzantine and Venetian craftsmen
Forty-Seven Objects in the Treasury of the Basilica di San Marco
Second century–sixteenth century
Gold, silver, crystal, glass, precious and semi-precious stones, and enamel

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