Palazzo Lippomano Della Rovere Donà Giovanelli

This guide reconstructs the history, spanning seven centuries, of one of the most prestigious private buildings in Venice, Palazzo Giovannelli in Santa Fosca, from its phases of construction to the assortment of artistic treasures inside it. Text in English and Italian.

Palazzo Giovanelli in Santa Fosca is certainly one of the most prestigious private buildings in Venice. While its first nucleus dates back to the fourteenth century, in 1527 it was donated by the Doge Andrea Gritti to Francesco Maria I, Duke of Urbino. The palace remained property of the family until its transfer to the Donà family, which gathered an important collection of works of art inside. At the beginning of the eighteenth century, the palace reached the Giovanelli family, who expanded and modernized it. However, it was during the nineteenth century that the residence took on its definitive appearance. In an initial neoclassical phase, Count Andrea commissioned the arrangement of his private apartment to Giuseppe Borsato and Francesco Hayez. Shortly afterwards, in 1847, Giovambattista Meduna arranged one of the façades like that of a small Ducal Palace. In 1860, Meduna carried out further expansions, setting up a prestigious collection of paintings, including a masterpiece of Venetian art: Giorgione's Tempest. The volume, in both Italian and English, reconstructs the history of seven centuries of the palace, the events it witnessed, and the artistic treasures inside it.

Text in English and Italian.