BASILICA DI SAN MARCO VENEZIA FACCIATA OVEST, IL RESTAURO MUSIVO DELLE LUNETTE SOPRA LA LOGGIA

Ettore Vio

Procuratoria di san Marco

ABSTRACT 

The st. Mark’s basilica external surfaces are made of valuable materials such as marbles and mosaics. Each one differs for its mineral structure and reacts differently to the atmospheric conditions. Furthermore, some surfaces are preciously covered with mosaics. These were laid with techniques that evolved  with the “work in progress” along a period of two thousand years. They are the testimony of the artistic and cultural values of the western world, in which they were conceived.

The west facade of st. Mark’s has five porches and four lunettes in the upper level completely decorated  with mosaics. On the lower level, the mosaics of the first porch from the left, were built in second half of the XIII century. Those in the second porch from the left are from the first half of the XVIII century. Those in the central porch date from the XIX century. The two porches on the right and, on the upper level,  the four lunettes are from the first half of the XVII century.

Today the mosaics of the two upper lunettes on the left side are in restoration. The first shows the deposition of Christ. The second represents Christ descending to the Limbo. They were realized in mosaics by Luigi Gaetano in 1617-18 from two paintings by Maffeo Verona  made in 1615-16. The aim of the restoration is to enlight the quality and the artistic preciousness of the scenes. This contribution describes the decay of the mosaic’s surfaces and the interventions carried by the master craftmen of the Studio di Mosaico of the Procuratoria di san Marco.