The Madonna Saves Venice from the Plague of 1630

Pietro Negri was a Venetian painter, the pupil of Antonio Zanchi.

This is a detail of a huge painting which was begun by Antonio Zanchi and finished by Pietro Negri. The painting remembers the terrible plague of 1630 in Venice. The miraculous apparition of the Virgin, through St Mark’s intercession, takes place against the steaming background of Venice where the Basilica della Salute can be seen. The Basilica, begun in 1631 as votive thanks for the end of the plague, was only completed in 1687 but by 1673 the most fundamental parts had been finished.