Counter-Reformation Artistic and Religious Patronage: The Altars of the Venetian Church of the Minims

This essay examines altar and altarpiece commissions for the church of San Francesco di Paola in Venice, owned by the Minim friars devoted to the saint. The analysis of this church, long neglected by scholarship, reveals the impact of the Counter-Reformation and newly introduced religious orders on early modern Venetian art. The variety of patrons from different social backgrounds, the novelty of the cult of the saint in the city, and the level of devotional and artistic innovation that come together in this church make it an important case study for uncovering new forms of piety in the aftermath of the Council of Trent. To show the extent of these factors, the essay answers three main questions: What kind of people did this cult and religious order attract in Venice? Why did patrons decide to build their chapels in this church? How did the decoration and dedication of the altars reflect post-Tridentine trends? After an overview of the Minims’ arrival in Venice and the construction of their church in the late-sixteenth century, the essay examines the patronage of the church chapels, reconstructing their original configuration. Furthermore, it enhances our understanding of how newly established churches and religious orders in Venice facilitated experimentation in altar dedication and decoration.