Vasili Sha's video: Vittore Carpaccio - A Renaissance Venetian in DC - National Gallery of Art - 2022 - 2023

St. George: "The Lord has sent me to free you from the tyranny of the dragon, believe in Christ and be baptized, and I will slay your dragon!” The High Renaissance religious painter Vittore Carpaccio (1460/66 – 1525/26) has been depicted mostly symbolic and allegoric figures of the Christianity. He was born and died in the richest and populous maritime Republic of Venice, then the second largest city in Europe after Paris and the vast commercial empire of the Mediterranean trade’s routes. This video presented sixteen paintings which among others forty-five paintings and thirty drawings were exhibited in the National Gallery of Art from November 20, 2022, to February 12, 2023. The picturesque images of the Christian hermits, saints, martyrs (including a huge tempera of Roman Martyrology, 307x 205 cm., “Martyrdom of the Ten Thousand Christians on Mount Ararat” (Armenia); allegories and symbols including “God the Father” (c. 1518/1520) and his Son – “Salvator Mundi” (c. 1503/1508) has been created from 1501 to 1520 in oil or tempera on canvas or panels. Of four the cardinal (natural) virtues of the Christian life – Prudence, Temperance, Fortitude, and Justice here presented only two: the pair of female allegoric figures, Prudence, and Temperance, as it was exhibited at the Gallery. The painting “St. George and the Dragon and four scenes of the Martyrdom” presented St. George the Martyr at the most crucial moments of his Christian life. A Roman soldier or a knight – the Victor over the Satanic power embodied in the Dragon, St. George kills the Dragon and is tortured to death for confessing his Christian faith. In the Middle Ages St. George was adopted as the patron of such states as England, Russia, Portugal, Ethiopia, and Venice, among others. The onset painting: “The Lion of Saint Mark” (1516) depicted some major symbols of the Venetian Republic (the Most Serene Republic of Venice or in the Venetian language “Serenisima Repùblega de Venèsia”; 697 – 1797). The central of them is the official symbol of Venice since 12th century: the Winged Lion holding a book with a motto, “Pax tibi Marce Evangelista meus.” It had been dedicated to St. Mark the Evangelist in 9th century, when he was accepted as the Patron of Venice along with his biblical symbol, The Winged Lion. In the background, at left, the Doge’s Palace on St. Mark’s Square next to St. Mark’s Basilica – the symbol of collaboration of the Doge’s power and the Catholic Church; at right, ships floated on the sea – the symbol of the maritime trade enterprising, military might, and explorations as travels of the Venetian Marco Polo in Asia. St. Mark the Evangelist the Apostle and the Patron Saint of Venice, Jewish by origin, was martyred and buried in Alexandria, Egypt in AD 68. But according to the Venetian legend foretelling that his body will be rested in Venice, his holy relics had been relocated to Venice on 31 January AD 828. Now, St. Mark’s Basilica is his final resting place. That legend says, while St. Mark with his gospel arrived at the Venetian lagoon, an angel said to him, ”Pax tibi Marce Evangelista meus. Hic requiescat corpus tuum.” (“Peace unto you, Mark, my Evangelist. Here will rest your body.”) The first part of that message, as it pointed out before, has been attributed to the symbol of Venice. On April 25, the Feast Day of St. Mark is celebrated in the Venice with the rosebud festival; traditionally, a single rosebud symbolizing love at first sight is a gift of the men in love to their favorite women. You’re welcome! “The Portrait of Doge Leonardo Loredan” (c. 1501/1504) presented him at the beginning of his holding the Doge’s traditionally limited authority, the symbol of sovereignty of the Venetian Republic since AD 697. He was then 65 years old, and as the elected 75th Doge of Republic held office almost twenty years until his death in 1521. It was a time of crisis when the very existence of the city-state was under threat. The powerful neighbors, the Ottoman Empire, Papal States and others unleashed wars to end the Venetian expansion. However, after some defeats and losing profitable trade routes, Venice under Loredan’s leadership consolidated her positions, and the next 45 Venetian Doges preserved her independence up to the year 1797. In 1516, the Republic has established the first Jewish Ghetto in Europe. Now is the free Jewish quarter in Venice. You’re welcome! In conclusion: (1) The music of this video – Sonata seconda à sopran solo” – was composed by Venetian Dario Castello in 1629 , at Venetian concert in 2003 performed by Lorenzo Ghielmi: organ, harpsichord, Enrico Onofri: violin & Margret Köll: harp; (2) this is my second video comprised religious works of Vittore Carpaccio’s creative genius. First, “The Life of the Virgin Mary,” was posted in February 2023 and was blocked by Chinese owners of Hyperion Records Ltd. under the pretext as it contains a copyrighted piece of music. @Vasilisha72 Happy Transfiguration Feast!