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Complesso monumentale |
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The monumental group of buildings forming the Servi di
Maria monastery is situated in the Cannaregio quarter of Venice. Occupying a
large island it became an important part of local life as the prospective
map published by Jacopo de Barbari in 1500 shows. Originating back to 1318,
the monastery covered almost eleven thousand square meters including,
besides the big church, the Cappella dei Lucchesi chapel, the Scuola
dell’Annunziata school, the Scuola dei Tintori school, the Scuola dei
Barbieri school, three dormitories and the refectory as well as the
cloisters, orchards and inner courtyards typical of this type of structure.
Within the walls of this big group of buildings lived friars like Frà Paolo
Sarpi, theologians of the Serenissima, priests, clergymen and novices.
Servi’s activity was always very much appreciated by the Republic which
praised the religious and cultural contribution made to the city. The group
of buildings, enriched with works of art, altars, niches, mausoleums, altar
pieces, etc., was devastated by a fierce fire in 1769. Napoleonic edicts in
1806 and 1810, confiscations by the State Property Office and the below cost
sale of the monastery led to the systematic spoliation of the monastery’s
artistic and historical wealth. In the space of a few years the buildings
were practically destroyed and even after two centuries the reasons for such
a decline and state of neglect are difficult to comprehend. |
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In 1864 Daniele Canal and Anna Maria Morovich founded the
“Patronage for released women” in the former group of buildings (made
suitable with new buildings) which then became the “House of the Holy
Family”. |
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WALLS AND PORTALS 1. Subject: the walls and portals form what
remains of the former Chiesa dei Servi di Maria church, ruins which have
survived demolitions and spoliations committed from the end of XVIII century
onwards. Considerable portions of the west and south sides with relative
portals of particular historical and artistic interest have survived until
now. Traces of walls with relative apse are still evident on the east side
as clearly depicted in De Barbari’s perspective portrayal dating back to
1500. Of the two portals, the main one situated on the west side is still
walled-up following consolidation work dating back to 1862 whilst the
southern one, called San Pellegrino, forms the entrance to the
Canal-Marovich Institute and to the Casa Studentesca di S. Fosca. |
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MAIN PORTAL OF THE FORMER Chiesa dei Servi DI MARIA |
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Description of the interventions: |
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THE SAN PELLEGRINO PORTAL OF THE FORMER CHIESA DEI SERVI CHURCH |
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Description of the interventions: |
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INTERVENTION INVOLVING
THE MASONRY WORK OF THE TWO PORTALS Once the phase of consolidation work has been completed, the
solid brick surface of the walls no longer protected by plaster will be
subjected to disinfestation and cleaning treatments. The phases foreseen
are: |
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THE CAPPELLA DEI LUCCHESI |
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| 1. Subject: the chapel, which was formerly an
oratory, was built by the community of Lucca present in Venice from 1360
onwards and was consecrated in 1376. It is possible that the people from
Lucca used workers from Tuscany for the building work thus transferring an
example of gothic architecture from that particular region to Venice as is
clearly visible in the outer loggia which was opened and then demolished.
The interior of the chapel was once enriched with paintings, sculptures and
altars which the Napoleonic invasion scattered in other churches and art
galleries. When the whole island was sold in 1814, the chapel was included
in the same lot but was saved from demolition by chance. However, the
spoliation and devastation of the interior could not be avoided. 2. Dating: by an official act dated the 2nd October 1360, the Servi Di Maria authorized the building of a chapel situated on the border of the Chiesa di Santa Maria church already in construction. The oratory, or chapel, was erected in a few years and was finished and consecrated in 1376. 3. Intervention: the project foresees the intervention on both the external and internal walls. Following a phase of consolidation work, the external surfaces will be subjected to the same treatment as that used for the external walls including the cleaning and disinfestation treatments. The internal wall surfaces and some marble decorations on the altar and portals appear particularly deteriorated as do parts of the frescos of the cross vaults. The cut and sum clearance of the walls, the restoration of the altar, portals and vault frescos have therefore been planned. 4. Cost expectations: the extremes of the surface walls with a stitch and unstitch operation including scaffolding: € 28.405,13 Interiors: inner plaster in cocciopesto and shaving in white lime with natural earth colouration: € 19.625,36. Altar: € 25.822,84 Stone portals: € 4.131,66 |
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| The interiors The interventions provide for the sum clearance of the brickwork by the cutting of walls and the consequent insulation from rising damp, the improvement of the deteriorated surfaces, the restoration of parts of the altar and portals which are spoiled or which have come unstuck as clearly visible in the images shown on the right. |
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THE APSE AND THE BRIDGE |
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1. Subject: a small part of the central apse which,
together with an old boundary wall, forms the eastern limit of the Casa
Studentesca di S. Fosca. The apse, the walls and the portals are all that
remain of the Chiesa dei Servi di Maria church, which is the third biggest
in terms of size in Venice after the SS. Giovanni e Paolo and Frari churches.
Similar in architecture to the coeval churches, it was different because it
was formed by a big single nave culminating in three apsidal chapels; the
apse had seven sides from the base of which the bearers which closed the
apsidal bowl shaped vault covered in slabs of lead were raised.
Unfortunately the bridge which formerly linked Servi’s Island to Rio Terrà
della Maddalena was demolished in 1854 and has completely disappeared. The
Town Council had already discussed a project regarding its rebuilding during
the meeting held on the 12nd March 1855. The only remaining evidence left
for us are the openings, now closed up, which are visible on the boundary
wall of the Canal-Marovich Institute. |
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THE APSE |
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| Following a phase of consolidation work, the
solid brick surface will be subjected to disinfestation and cleaning
treatments. The phases foreseen are: 1. Removal of shrubs and herbaceous plants by herbicidal treatment and the subsequent mechanical removal of the roots; 2. General dry brushing followed by a water rinse; 3. Removal of seals where these have come unstuck and any plastering in cement. The subsequent plastering of any cracks using a hydraulic binder based mortar mixed with epoxy resin and inert lime similar in colour and granulosity in the case of crumbling bricks and degrading mortar beds. 4. Consolidation of particularly degraded walls using an acrylic resin applied by brush: in areas full of gaps, solid bricks which have been salvaged will be inserted with the interposition of mortar joints in hydraulic lime; 5. Replacement or the simple re-positioning, if these are in good condition, of the mobile elements in accordance with the stitch-unstitch technique; 6. RISTILATURA of all mortar joints that must be maintained sub-level. The products to be used for the restoration operations and their relative concentrations will be chosen on the basis of the results of diagnostic enquiries and preliminary tests done on individual sample areas.
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BRIDGE |
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With the patronage of Venice Diocese |
