The Scuola di San Giorgio degli Schiavoni

 

Photo by F.Bucher, 19.11.05. Image published under Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 2.0 Germany Licence

The Scuola di San Giorgio degli Schiavoni is located in the Castello district on the Rio della Pieta, a short distance from its junction with the Canale di San Marco.

The word schiavoni is a corruption of slavoni, meaning slavs. The scuola was founded in 1451 by Slav merchants from Dalmatia whose homeland formed part of the Venetian empire. They wished to create a guild dedicated to the promotion of their own cultural and commercial interests.

The facade of the scuola was designed by Giovanni de Zan. A bas-relief of Saint George and the Dragon by Pietro da Salò (1551) is located above the doorway beneath an older 14th century sculpture of the Virgin Mary flanked by Saint John the Baptist and Saint Catherine.

The Istrian stone facing, stained by age and pollution, was recently cleansed. The exterior decorations and reliefs were restored at the same time. The facade now represents a fine example of grand classicism on a modest scale.

The scuola is famous for its cycle of nine early 16th century paintings by Vittore Carpaccio, a Venetian artist of Dalmatian ancestry. These depict scenes from the lives of Saint Jerome, Saint Tryphon and Saint George.

The reception hall is decorated by three huge canvasses.

The first shows the reaction of Saint George as he learns of the plight of a beautiful virgin princess who is about to be devoured by an evil dragon. The second depicts Saint George as a witness to the baptism of the girl’s parents who must convert to Christianity before he will save their daughter, and the third shows Saint George slaying the dragon.

The other friezes include pictures of Saint Tryphone driving evil spirits from the daughter of a Roman Emperor; Saint Jerome removing a thorn from the paw of a lion; and Saint Augustine experiencing a vision of the death of Saint Jerome.

The vision of Saint Augustine by Vittore Carpaccio (1502), Scuola di San Giorgio degli Schiavoni

Saint George slaying the dragon by Vittore Carpaccio (1502-1507) , Scuola di San Giorgio degli Schiavoni

Carpaccio  mixes horror with humour. Saint Augustine’s fear and astonishment is mirrored by the wide-eyed reaction of his pet dog. Saint George, however, rides with noble determination past the grim remains of the dragon's previous victims.

A collection of old fraternity robes and some portraits of distinguished past members are also displayed.

The scuola still functions as a guild and so is often closed for official business, particularly during the afternoon.

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