Paolo Veneziano e bottega: il polittico di Santa Lucia e gli antependia per l’isola di Veglia

Paolo Veneziano and his workshop created three masterpieces for the island of Veglia: a) The Polyptych of Saint Lucy, today in Krk Bishop’s palace; b) Two Antependia. One of them is still preserved in its original site (Dobrinj). The other one travelled abroad long time ago, and today is displayed at the Victoria and Albert Museum, in London. There is no doubt that Paolo Veneziano’s workshop was commissioned to produce these three paintings, presumably during the fourth decade of XIV century, as proved by its iconographic and stylistic features. The Polyptych of Saint Lucy was made for the Benedictine Abbey of Iurandvor, near Baška. Its central panel shows Saint Lucy herself. Its side panels show eight episodes of her life. Top panels display the Crucifixion, the Annunciation and four Saints, including St Kvirin and St Gaudientius, of particular local significance. The Polyptych inspired a rich bibliography focused on its iconographic choices, stylistic patterns, technique of execution (in particular its stampings) and chronology. Both Antependia are made by red silk superbly intertwined with gold and argent. Typologically these two works are connected to the tradition of the Venetian polyptychs of the Trecento. They are made by venetian embroiderers, perhaps following preparatory drawnings by Marco Veneziano, Paolo’s brother. Our study focuses, therefore, on Paolo’s bottega, and its ‘familiar’ structure, based on Paolo’s father (Martino), his brother (Marco), and three sons (Luca, Giovanni, and Marco). Veneziano’s workshop monopolizes venetian painting during the whole first half of the Trecento. Its master oversees the ideation, design and execution of all works produced in his bottega. Finally, thanks to the documents still preserved at “Archivio Storico” of the “Soprintendenza di Trieste”, we trace the movements of the Polyptych during the first half of last century. It was in Wien (for restoration purposes) in 1913, in Venice (exhibition) in 1919, then at the “Museo Civico” of Trieste up to 1936, when it entered into the collections of Capodistria Museum. Then it was moved to Friuli (1940-1944) during the world war II as a precautionary measure, and it was finally returned to the Bishop of Krk by the High Command of German Occupation Army at the end of the war.