Restored in 2000 with funding from the Venetian Club at Trinity College, Hartford, Connecticut.

Leandro dal Ponte was the youngest son of the painter Jacopo dal Ponte, who had assumed the name “Bassano” after their hometown in the Veneto. Jacopo remained in Bassano for his entire career, but his works were highly sought after in Venice. In 1578 Jacopo’s sons, Leandro and his older brother Francesco, traveled to Venice to fulfill commissions for their father. Leandro went on to have an extremely successful career in the city, and was knighted in 1595 by Doge Marino Grimani. It was around this time that Leandro painted the Incredulity of Thomas with Apostles, Saints Vincent Ferrer and Peter Martyr in Santi Giovanni e Paolo.

This canvas portrays the apostle, popularly known as “Doubting Thomas,” who was absent when Christ first appeared to his disciples after his death and resurrection and showed them his wounds. Thomas refused to believe that Christ had risen until he had seen for himself. Christ revealed himself again to the apostles in the presence of Thomas and said, “Reach your finger here: see my hands; reach your hand here and put it in my side.” Thomas is shown touching Christ’s wound with his finger, his testing of the resurrected body witnessed by his fellow apostles, along with two Dominican saints in the foreground.

The painting was restored by conservator Marco Volpin, with the guidance of project director Sandro Sponza 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.

Leandro dal Ponte, called Bassano (1557–1622)
Incredulity of Thomas with Apostles, Saints Vincent Ferrer and Peter Martyr
Late sixteenth century, oil on canvas
210 x 130 cm