Restored in 2009 with funding from the Young Friends of Save Venice.

Girolamo Priuli, a Venetian merchant and banker hailing from a patrician family, devoted his wealth to supporting religious institutions. His patronage extended to the Church of San Salvador, where Priuli not only bequeathed his Supper at Emmaus, attributed to Carpaccio, but he also provided the funding for the construction of the Mercerie entrance, the organ loft (cantoria), the redecoration of the sacristy, and the altar of San Girolamo. This very altar would eventually serve as his final resting place, as he was buried there on the 7th of July in 1547.

On November 15, 1524, Priuli commissioned architect and sculptor Guglielmo dei Grigi to create the altar of Saint Jerome. Dei Grigi had initially designed a drawing for this project, which was intended to be made from Istrian stone from Rovinj and colored marble. The altar was envisioned to include six freestanding columns and two carved figures to be placed within niches. Four years later, on December 4th, 1528, dei Grigi submitted a new design for the altar, which had not yet been constructed at that point. Interestingly, the sculpture depicting Saint Jerome was not part of this revised design, as it is believed to have been carved by Tommaso Lombardo, a sculptor primarily recognized for his Madonna and Child with Young Saint John the Baptist located in the church of San Sebastiano. As a student of Jacopo Sansovino, Tommaso drew inspiration from his master in creating the Saint Jerome sculpture. This influence is evident when comparing it to the older figure carved on the left-hand side of the Miracle of the Maiden Carilla, which adorns the Venerable Ark of Saint Antony in Padua. The date inscribed at the foot of the Priuli altar, 1537, is widely accepted as the time when most of the altar, and possibly even the sculpture, was completed.

The lunette of the altar, depicting God the Father Accompanied by Three Putti, was traditionally attributed to Tommaso Lombardo. However, it is now believed to be the creation of Pisan sculptor Silvio Cosini, known for his exceptional technical skills, imaginative motifs, and original compositions. This revised attribution also acknowledges the involvement of Vincenzo Cosini, Silvio’s brother, who is thought to have executed the face of God in the artwork. Additionally, Silvio is credited with the authorship of the capitals on the main columns in the center of the altar, which feature extravagant depictions such as heads of various animals, such as lions, rams, and serpents. Historical records indicate that Cosini resided and worked in Venice from late autumn 1532 to late summer 1533. During this period, only a sculptor of his caliber could conceive and bring to life such distinctive and fanciful creations.

The work was restored by conservators from the Co.New.Tech restoration firm, 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.

Guglielmo dei Grigi, called Il Bergamasco (c. 1485–1550)
Saint Jerome Altar
c. 1524-1537, Istrian stone, Carrara and Verona marble

Tommaso Lombardo, called Tommaso da Lugano (active c. 1536–1550)
Penitent Saint Jerome
c. 1537, marble

Silvio (c. 1495-after 1549) and Vincenzo Cosini (1505-after 1549) [attr.]
God the Father Accompanied by Three Putti and two capitals
1533, marble

Annibali, Luca. “Una proposta per Tommaso da Lugano: le sculture dei monumenti Corner in San Salvador a Venezia.” Nuovi Studi. Rivista di Arte Antica e Moderna, 25 (2020): 25-37. Link to the article

Ceriana, Matteo. Grigi, Guglielmo. In Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani, 59. Rome: Istituto della enciclopedia italiana, 2002, ad vocem. Link to the article

Schulz, Anne Markham. The History of Venetian Renaissance Sculpture, ca. 1400-1530. London and Turnhout: Harvey Miller Publishers, 2017

Schulz, Anne Markham. “Silvio and Vincenzo Cosini in Venice and the altar of Girolamo Priuli in S. Salvatore.” The Burlington Magazine, 165, 1448 (2023): 1182-1189