COMINELLI, Andrea

This sumptuous palace was built in the 17th century. It has three fa�ades: one faces onto the Canal Grande, with a central door and three windows on the various levels, another onto the Cannaregio with a door and ten windows, and the third onto Campo San Geremia.

The attribution of the design for the palace is still uncertain. It is assumed that a little-known architect, Alessandro Tremignon designed the fa�ades facing Cannaregio and the Campo San Geramia, and Andrea Cominelli designed the fa�ade facing the Canal Grande. The fa�ades adopt the classical two order style of Sansovino for the two upper floors. In the attics there are round windows alternating with carved heraldic eagles.

While like many of the other larger palazzi in Venice the Palazzo Labia is rectangular in design built around an inner courtyard, the two architects Tremignon and Cominelli broke the architectural traditions of such architects as Longhena, by designing the facades of the Palazzo Labia to be more simple and less cluttered, than those of the earlier Venetian classical palazzi, while still maintaining a Baroque richness achieved through the effect of light and shadow.

The palace is famous for the decoration of the interior. Giovanni Battista Tiepolo executed the frescoes in collaboration with Girolamo Mengozzi Colonna, the quadratura specialist.

In the angle formed by the Cannaregio Canal and the Grand Canal, the Baroque Palazzo Labia, erected in the late seventeenth century, forms a picturesque complex with the bell tower of the church of San Geremia. The brickwork bell tower is from the 12th century.

This sumptuous palace was built in the 17th century. It has three fa�ades: one faces onto the Canal Grande, with a central door and three windows on the various levels, another onto the Cannaregio with a door and ten windows, and the third onto Campo San Geremia.

The attribution of the design for the palace is still uncertain. It is assumed that a little-known architect, Alessandro Tremignon designed the fa�ades facing Cannaregio and the Campo San Geramia, and Andrea Cominelli designed the fa�ade facing the Canal Grande. The fa�ades adopt the classical two order style of Sansovino for the two upper floors. In the attics there are round windows alternating with carved heraldic eagles.

While like many of the other larger palazzi in Venice the Palazzo Labia is rectangular in design built around an inner courtyard, the two architects Tremignon and Cominelli broke the architectural traditions of such architects as Longhena, by designing the facades of the Palazzo Labia to be more simple and less cluttered, than those of the earlier Venetian classical palazzi, while still maintaining a Baroque richness achieved through the effect of light and shadow.

The palace is famous for the decoration of the interior. Giovanni Battista Tiepolo executed the frescoes in collaboration with Girolamo Mengozzi Colonna, the quadratura specialist.

The Labia family was of Catalan origin and arrived in Venice in the early sixteenth century. They amassed their wealth through the manufacture and trade of high-quality textiles. In 1646 they were able to join the ranks of the Venetian nobility and proceeded to construct a palace with one facadj overlooking the Campo di San Geremia and the other overlooking the meeting point of the Rio Cannaregio and the Grand canal. The design of the building was entrusted to Andrea Cominelli, a Venetian architect and sculptor, who probably belonged to the circle of Baldassare Longhena.

The picture shows the fa�ade facing the Campo di San Geremia.

In 1652 Francesco and Tommaso Morosini commissioned Cominelli to restore the facade of the Church of San Clemente on the Isola di San Clemente. He included busts of Morosini family members above the portal, and their coat of arms. He also added statues of Saint Benedict and Saint Romuald, and a Madonna and cherub. The facade includes reliefs of scenes from battles commemorating the Morosini’s victories in the war against the Turks. He is thought to have himself made the sculptures of the two brothers Morosini and of the two saints.