The House of Gold: Building a Palace in Medieval Venice

by Richard J. Goy

• ISBN13: 9780521181341
• ISBN10: 0521181348
• Edition: Revised
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2011-02-17
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Summary

In 1406 a young Venetian nobleman, Marin Contarini, married into another ancient patrician clan. His wife's family owned an old palace on the Grand Canal. Contarini demolished the old palace and, in 1421, he began to build the Cá d'Oro, his 'House of Gold'. This 1993 book tells the history of the building of the palace over a period of nearly twenty years. After a general introduction to the city of Venice at the beginning of the quattrocento, Dr Goy discusses the background to the building of the palace. There follows a discussion of the building industry in Venice in this flourishing period, and of the functions of the three chief building crafts. In the latter half of the study, the whole building process is recreated in detail; the relationships between Contarini and his craftsmen are analysed, as is the pivotal role of Contarini himself, the architect manquè whose monument this was to become.

Table of Contents

List of illustrations

Preface

Acknowledgements

Glossary of terms

Sources and methodology

General introduction

Venice in the Early Quattrocento:

The economic and political background

The city in 1400

The medieval Venetian palace

The Contarini Casada:

The Contarini: a great patrician clan

Marin and his marriage

Antonio Contarini, an ambitious father

Contarini's business activities

A domestic interlude: family and servants 1426-1430

The new palace at Santa Sofia: motives and methods

First impressions: the plan, structure and appearance of the palace

Building in Medieval Venice:

The building trade guilds

The men who built the palace: an introduction

Building contracts and procedures

The stonemasons' yards

Technology on site

Daily life on site

The building industry: money, wages and standards of living

Building the Palace: The First Stage:

Building the palace: first records 1421

The appointment of Zane Bon

two master masons

Carpenters on site 1425-1426

The work of Matteo Raverti and his bottega 1425-1428

The Front Façade:

The main façade: its design and appearance

Zane Bon and the main façade: the arcade to the quay

The work of Bon on the façade up to 1429

Matteo Raverti and the façade: the lower loggia

The upper logia

Building the quay and assembling the façade I

Assembling the façade II: a locum master builder and a master blacksmith

Completing the Fabric:

Building the upper walls 1429-1430: maestro Cristofolo

The carpenters: the Rosso bottega 1428-1431

The ancillary trades 1428-1430: terazer, fregador, pentor, intaiador

The final stages of building the palace: the last works of Bon

Antonio di Martini

Finishing touches:

The House of Gold: decorating the façade 1431-1433

The last work of the stone masons: Rosso and Romanello after 1430

the last works of builders, carpenter and glaziers

The completed palace: the image and the cost

Marin Conatarini: the final chapter

Postscript: Contarini's succession

Conclusion:

Contarini's role

The legacy of the palace: its historical importance

The legacy of the Cà d'Oro in the later work of Bartolomeo Bon

The after-life on the palace

Appendices

Select bibliography

Index

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