Paolo Veronese
by CARNERI, Matteo, Bronze
Matteo Carneri was an Italian architect and sculptor, active in Bolzano, Venice, Innsbruck and Trento.
The bust forms part of the plain tomb of Veronese beside the organ in San Sebastiano in Venice, and was made, as the former inscription on the spot once made clear (PAVLI CALIARI EFFIGIES / ET. SVAE.58), two years before Veronese’s death. The terracotta model originally erected here was by the sculptor Camillo Bozzetti. In the early 17th century, Veronese’s eldest son Gabriele Caliari (d. 1631) had the whole monument renovated. The bust by Bozzetti was replaced by a copy by the sculptor Matteo Carneri, with a new inscription: PAVLO CALIARO / VERONEN. PICTORI / NATURAE AEMVLO / ARTIS MIRACVLO / SUPERSTITE FATIS / FAMA VICTVRO. It alludes to the qualities of Veronese’s art in adhering closely to nature, and declares that he conquered fate through his fame.