Treviso, San Teonisto church revises its works after World War II bombings

Nineteen of the twenty-two works that were part of the heritage of the Treviso religious complex before the Napoleonic spoliations of 1810 returned Saturday, Jan. 13, to the ancient church of San Teonisto in Treviso: following the suppression of religious orders, one of the most notorious measures of the Napoleonic decrees, the monastery of San Teonisto was demanized and the works were confiscated. They were supposed to end up in France, but they stayed in the Brera warehouses and later returned to the reconsecrated church. However, they suffered the consequences of the bombing of December 3, 1944, during World War II, and were transferred to the premises of the Venice Superintendency. They were later displayed, in 1952, in the Civic Museums of Treviso, and finally, between 2010 and 2015, they were moved to the Art Gallery of the Museum of Santa Caterina.

Now, finally, the works return to the walls for which they were painted, restored for the occasion thanks to the contribution of the Benetton Foundation. The works were created by great Venetian painters of the 16th and 17th centuries: Paolo Veronese, Alessandro Varotari known as il Padovanino, Pietro della Vecchia, Jacopo Lauro, Carletto Caliari, Matteo Ingoli, Bartolomeo Scaligero, Ascanio Spineda, Matteo Ponzone and Antonio Fumiani. The canvases will find a home in the church of San Teonisto, which has also been completely restored: work began in late 2014, was entrusted to architect Tobia Scarpa, and was recently completed.

As anticipated, nineteen works are returning to St. Theonistus. In fact, only eighteen are works conceived for the church: the nineteenth is an altarpiece by Jacopo Lauro, depicting Our Lady of the Rosary and Saints Dominic and Rose, which arrives as a replacement for Gregorio Lazzerini’s Wedding of Saint Catherine, which remains in the Pinacoteca Civica in Treviso. The remaining three works of the twenty-two once in the building are divided among different museums: the Martyrdom of St. Justina by Carletto Caliari is owned by the Castello Sforzesco, the high altarpiece namely the Martyrdom of Saints Theonistus, Tabra and Tabrata by Jacopo Palma the Younger is still in the Brera storage rooms, and the Marriage at Cana by Veronese and workshop is in the Yellow Room of Montecitorio.

“The Benetton family,” said Marco Tamaro, director of the Benetton Foundation, “has restored dignity to this very ancient church and wanted to entrust it to our Foundation to bring it to life. The restitution of its works to San Teonisto by the City of Treviso is an act of love and responsibility that completes that of Mr. Luciano, who wanted to take charge of this abandoned church. At such an important moment I cannot hide a dream, that the major jewel of St. Theonistus also returns home. I refer to Paolo Veronese’s lunette depicting “The Marriage at Cana” today “exiled” in Montecitorio, the seat of the Chamber of Deputies. That canvas entered the Brera collections by decree of Napoleon Bonaparte, ending up confined to storage. Later it was granted to Rome to adorn the walls of a place of passage and meeting in Montecitorio. I believe that today the cultural and structural conditions are in place for this masterpiece of ours to return home. Of course, stopping the “ownership” that the Brera Museum has had the right to claim over it for more than two centuries. Just as I hope it can gradually happen for the Palma, which has long remained in Brera awaiting restoration, and for the “Martyrdom” owned by the Castle.”

Throughout the week of Jan. 15-20, 2018, there will be guided tours, also at 6 p.m., led by representatives of Treviso culture: Elisabetta Gerhardinger, curator of the Civic Museums; Luca Majoli of the Venice, Belluno, Padua and Treviso Superintendency; Paolo Barbisan, director of the diocesan Office for Sacred Art and Cultural Heritage; Marta Mazza, director of the Salce Collection National Museum; and Eugenio Manzato, art historian. To follow, at 7 p.m., piano concerts in collaboration with the Steffani Conservatory of Castelfranco Veneto. Performances by Davide Amoroso, Giulia Spagnol and Anna Lerose (Jan. 15, music by Chopin, Brahms); Paolo Tirro and Chinami Matsushima (Jan. 16, music by Chopin, Brahms, Beethoven); Alice Rampazzo and Maria Cristina Pezzolato (Jan. 17, music by Clementi, Schubert); Olga Gavryliuk and Giacomo Menegardi (Jan. 18, music by Haydn, Chopin); Sara Mannarini and Beniamino Iozzelli (Jan. 19, music by Debussy, Chopin, Schumann); Massimiliano Grotto and Laura Pinnella (Jan. 20, music by Haydn, Liszt). Information is available at www.fbsr.it.

Image: Pietro della Vecchia, Ascension of Jesus Christ.

Treviso, San Teonisto church revises its works after World War II bombings

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