Frescoes in the Santa Maria del Rosario (Gesuati), Venice (1737-39)
by Giovanni Battista TIEPOLO

In 1737, Tiepolo signed an important contract with the Dominican Order in Venice, agreeing the decoration of the church of the Gesuati (or Jesuits), Santa Maria del Rosario, built in 1720 - the artist's first great ceiling decoration for a church interior in Venice. Beginning in 1738, Tiepolo created a total of 40 frescoes of varying dimensions within the very short period of twelve months. Three large frescoes cover the centre of the vault of the Jesuit church: the Glory of St Dominic, the Institution of the Rosary, and the Virgin Appearing to St Dominic. Medallions portraying the fifteen mysteries of the Rosary decorate the rest of the ceiling. The symbols of the four Evangelists are represented over the high altar, a medallion of King David Playing the Harp, surrounded by the prophets Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Daniel, hangs over the choir's central bay, with a further medallion of the Holy Trinity placed on the choir wall.

Preview Picture Data File Info Comment
Ceiling frescoes
1737-39
Fresco
Santa Maria del Rosario (Gesuati), Venice

1000*1592
True Color
180 Kb



The Institution of the Rosary
1737-39
Fresco, 1200 x 450 cm
Santa Maria del Rosario (Gesuati), Venice

670*1700
True Color
179 Kb



The Institution of the Rosary
1737-39
Fresco, 1200 x 450 cm
Santa Maria del Rosario (Gesuati), Venice

850*1231
True Color
179 Kb



The Institution of the Rosary (detail)
1737-39
Fresco
Santa Maria del Rosario (Gesuati), Venice

940*1300
True Color
177 Kb



The Institution of the Rosary (detail)
1737-39
Fresco
Santa Maria del Rosario (Gesuati), Venice

750*1034
True Color
144 Kb



The Institution of the Rosary (detail)
1737-39
Fresco
Santa Maria del Rosario (Gesuati), Venice

700*966
True Color
143 Kb



The Virgin Appearing to St Dominic
1737-39
Fresco
Santa Maria del Rosario (Gesuati), Venice

1304*1000
True Color
147 Kb



The Glory of St Dominic
1737-39
Fresco
Santa Maria del Rosario (Gesuati), Venice

1302*1000
True Color
164 Kb



King David Playing the Harp
1737-39
Fresco
Santa Maria del Rosario (Gesuati), Venice

850*1060
True Color
162 Kb



The Virgin Appearing to Dominican Saints
1747-48
Oil on canvas, 340 x 168 cm
Santa Maria del Rosario (Gesuati), Venice

650*1291
True Color
102 Kb



The Virgin Appearing to Dominican Saints (detail)
1747-48
Oil on canvas
Santa Maria del Rosario (Gesuati), Venice

900*1240
True Color
166 Kb




Summary of works by Giovanni Battista TIEPOLO
Great fresco decorations
Patriarchal Palace, Udine (1726)
Villa Loschi, Biron di Monteviale (1734) | Palazzo Labia, Venice (1746-47)
Residenz, Würzburg (1751-53) | Villa Valmarana, Vicenza (1757)
Royal Palace, Madrid (1762-66)
Various paintings and decorations
up to 1740 | 1740s | 1751-70