Carpaccio, Bellini, and the early Renaissance in Venice

At the heart of the exhibition are two major works by Carpaccio from the Staatsgalerie’s collection, which have undergone extensive restoration. The monumental altarpiece »Saint Thomas Aquinas with Saints Mark and Louis of Toulouse« (1507) demonstrates how Carpaccio adopted and animated the altar compositions of his teacher, Bellini. The »Martyrdom of Saint Stephen« (1520), part of a cycle created for the Scuola di Santo Stefano in Venice, is representative of Carpaccio’s extensive work for the city’s religious confraternities, or scuole. In these large-scale paintings, Carpaccio envisioned an imaginary world that simultaneously evokes contemporary Venice. His inclusion of picturesque details, references to well-known artworks and architecture, and his realistic, everyday figures, showcase the artist’s creative mastery.

The exhibition is a special exhibition of the state of Baden-Württemberg, under the patronage of the Embassy of the Italian Republic in Germany.  

Supported by:  
Ministry of Science, Research and the Arts of Baden-Württemberg  
Ernst von Siemens Art Foundation  
Cultural Foundation of the Federal States  
Adriani Foundation
Wüstenrot Foundation