Fabulous day from the Accademia to dinner – 3/24/17

There is no complaining about this day. The art is spectacular and the dinner is totally unlike any food we have had before in Venice. But first the art.

The Accademia houses 13th century to some 18th century art. It is not overwhelming big so that by the time you are done you are tired but not spent for the rest of the day. It is a real favorite of ours. Sarah and I make a good team figuring out who is who and when we are stuck, John usually knows the answer.

Some of the art we love from the Accademia….

The Resurrection of Christ in a rocketship mandorla – Paolo Veniziano 1st half 14th century
Judas kissing Christ
Paolo Veneziano, first half 14th c.
Last Supper – Paolo Veniziano, 1st half 14th c.
13th century Madonna and Child
Saints James and Stephen – James has the travelers scallop shells and Stephen has rocks on his head – Lorenzo Veniziano, mid 14th c.
Annunciation – Lorenzo Veniziano, mid 14th c.
Coronation signed by painter in 1375
Signature of painter
Last Supper from Scenes from the life of Christ – school of Venetian painters second half 14th c.
Day of Judgement – Scenes from the Apocalupse,  Jacobello Alberegno, 1397
Whore of Babylon on 7 headed beast – Scenes from the Apocalypse – Jacobello Alberegno, before 1397
Annunciation with Saints, Lorenzo Veniziano, late 14th c. (This is one of our favorites

All this great stuff is just in the first room of the museum. I think we have spent at least an hour in here. Moving on to room two and the rest of the museum, there are still a lot of great paintings but these are less exciting. There’s nothing like art from the period when they were figuring out how to use perspective and give people emotion.

Giovanni Bellini’s Madonna and Child with Saints aka Giobbe Altarpiece, 1487

And here is another great painting by Giovanni Bellini –

Madonna and Child with Saint Catherine and Mary Magdalene

From here we move into the 16th century and Mannerism –

Tintoretto’ Cain and Abel, 1550-53, lots of perspective and twisting bodies
This large painting was supposed to be of the Last Supper but it was too rowdy for such a solemn occasion so it was renamed Banquet at the House of Levi – Paolo Veronese 1573
Including this just because I find it quirky. Dinner at Emmaus by Marco Marziale 1493-1507

There’s still lots more in the museum but it is well after the lunch hour and we are tired and hungry. We walk back to the apartment and John runs out for panini while Sarah and I put our feet up. We take a break until 3 PM and then go to a couple of local churches where we see some Tintoretto masterpieces.

From the church of San Trovaso Tintoretto’s painting of the Last Supper. This painting catches the moment when Jesus tells the apostles that one of them will betray him. In their disbelief and dismay they jump up knocking over their chairs and insisting that it is not one of them.

Tintoretto Last Supper

Around the corner from San Trovaso there is another Tintoretto in the church called Gesuati –

Tintoretto Crucifixion

We are done with sightseeing for today. Tonight we are having dinner at Ai Artisti. It is supposed to be a really good restaurant recommended by critics and our Truly Venice host.

It is even better than advertised, probably the best meal we have ever had in Venice. We’ve booked again for Monday. When our server asked how we liked it we raved about how good everything was and I said it was not typical. He smiled and agreed that yes, in Venice they were unusual. Unusually good!

First courses –


Second courses –

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