Palazzo Labia is a Baroque building in the Cannaregio district of
Venice, built between the 17th and 18th centuries. In the Ballroom
Giambattista Tiepolo painted some of his masterpieces, namely the cycle
of frescoes dedicated to the Stories of Antonio and Cleopatra,
commissioned by the brothers Angelo Maria and Paolo Antonio Labia.
Alongside the church of San Geremia, the building is located near the
confluence of the Cannaregio canal with the Grand Canal, towards which
the two older facades face; the third elevation overlooks Campo San
Geremia.
The Labias, originally from Gerona (Spain), were
enrolled in the Venetian patriciate in 1646, after having contributed a
large sum to the War of Candia. In fact, they possessed enormous wealth
which they spent on luxuries, on parties and on the construction of this
palace.
The palace was built in the Baroque style at the beginning of the
18th century for the Labia family, originally from Catalonia, from
Girona, and entered the circle of the Venetian aristocracy quite late,
in 1646, due to the fact that family members contributed a large sum
(about one hundred thousand ducats) to the Candian war with the Ottoman
Empire. The family possessed considerable wealth, which they spent on
luxurious festivities and the construction of their palace. The
magnificent palace was intended to highlight the importance of the Labia
family to the old patricians. To this end, the brothers Angelo Maria
Labia and Paolo Antonio Labia commissioned frescoes for the most famous
painter of Venice.
The relatively little known architects Andrea
Cominelli, Alessandro Tremignon and his son Paolo, who were commissioned
to build around 1700, worked under the influence of Baldassare Longhena.
The canal-facing façades, with rusticated ground floor, arched windows
and balustraded balconies, reflect the style of the Venetian Settechento
(18th-century art). On the facades there are sculptural images of eagles
from the coat of arms of the Labia family.
The ballroom, or "Salon of festivities" (Salone delle Feste), is
double-height (two tiers high, but with "false windows") and is
completely decorated with frescoes on the theme of the romantic history
of the consul Mark Antony and the Egyptian queen Cleopatra, created in
1746-1747 years of Giovanni Battista Tiepolo.
The murals are
framed with architectural elements in the style of "trompe-l'œil"
("deception") or "square", with imitation of door and window openings,
made by Girolamo Mengozzi-Colonna. In these illusory frames, we see the
composition of the solemn reception of Antony by the Egyptian queen, and
from the painted balconies and "upper windows" Cleopatra's subjects are,
as it were, watching this scene. It is believed that members of the
Labia family served as models for these figures. In the feast scene
depicted by the artist, Cleopatra, according to legend, dissolves her
priceless pearl in a goblet of wine, demonstrating her wealth to Antony.
Presumably, the mistress of the palazzo Maria Labia, nee Sivran, became
the prototype of the Egyptian queen, but there is no documentary
evidence of this transparent metaphor.
The picturesque plafond of
the Ballroom depicts "Bellerophon on Pegasus". The rest of the halls,
built around the courtyard, are not as famous as the Ballroom, but are
also works of art. So in the "Green Salon" (Green Damask Salone), in
addition to the sculptural fireplace made of inlaid marble, there are
frescoes and a picturesque ceiling by Pompeo Batoni. In the Hall of
Mirrors we find another ceiling painting by Tiepolo "The Triumph of
Zephyr and Flora". In other rooms of the palace there are works by
Giandomenico Tiepolo (son of G. B. Tiepolo), Palma il Giovane,
Giambattista Canale, Placido Costanzi, Agostino Masucci, Pompeo Batoni,
Gregorio Lazzarini, Gasparo Diziani and Antonio Visentini. Other rooms
are decorated with Flemish tapestries on the theme "History of the
Scipios".
The Labia Family: Origins and Rise to Nobility
The palace takes
its name from the Labia family, originally merchants from Catalonia
(modern-day Spain) who amassed considerable wealth through trade. In the
mid-17th century, the Republic of Venice faced severe financial strain
due to prolonged wars with the Ottoman Empire, which depleted its
treasury. To replenish funds, the Venetian government began selling
noble titles and inscriptions into the Libro d'Oro (Golden Book), a
registry originally established in 1315 to list the city's founding
aristocratic families eligible for high office. In 1646, the Labia
family paid a substantial sum—typically starting at 100,000 ducats—to
gain entry into this elite circle, allowing them to participate in
Venetian society and politics.
Despite their newfound status, the
Labia were viewed as arrivistes (upstarts) by the established Venetian
nobility, who resented the dilution of their exclusive ranks. This
social tension influenced the palace's design and location: while older
families enjoyed prime frontage on the Grand Canal, the Labia were
restricted to a site set back from it, overlooking the quay instead. The
family's wealth, however, enabled them to commission a grand residence
that symbolized their ascent. By the mid-18th century, the palace was
home to brothers Angelo Maria Labia and Paolo Antonio Labia, along with
their wives, children, and mother, Maria Labia. Maria, a renowned beauty
painted by Rosalba Carriera, was the intellectual and social force
behind the family, known for her wit, flirtations, and Europe's finest
jewel collection. Angelo, an abbé who married a commoner and built a
marionette theater for satirical plays, later became an informer for the
Inquisition. Paolo married into old Venetian aristocracy, further
legitimizing the family's position.
Construction and
Architectural Features
Construction of Palazzo Labia began at the end
of the 17th century (foundations laid in the late 1600s) and continued
into the early 18th century, making it a quintessential 18th-century
Baroque structure amid Venice's declining economic power. The architects
were relatively obscure figures: Andrea Cominelli (or possibly
Alessandro Tremignon, according to some sources) designed the main
facades, while the facade facing Campo San Geremia is attributed to
Tremignon or later Giorgio Massari. The choice of lesser-known
architects may have been a cost-saving measure or a reflection of the
family's outsider status, but the site's prominence—flanked by canals
and a campo—compensated for this.
The palace is rectangular, built
around an internal courtyard, with three distinct facades due to its
unique location:
Cannaregio Canal Facade: The principal and most
elaborate, featuring five floors with rusticated lower levels, tall
segmented windows separated by pilasters, and balustraded balconettes.
It emphasizes Baroque play of light and shadow while breaking from
earlier Venetian traditions by being simpler and less ornate.
Grand
Canal Facade: A smaller, three-bayed structure set back from the water,
adhering to restrictions on new nobility.
Campo San Geremia Facade:
Of equal splendor, it incorporates Venetian Gothic elements like floral
motifs and recessed loggias, with a concealed roofline behind classical
balustrading. The adjacent church campanile appears integrated into the
design, enhancing the palace's visual impact.
Overall, the
architecture blends Baroque richness with subtle nods to Venetian
Gothic, creating a harmonious yet ostentatious statement of wealth in an
era when few could afford such projects.
Notable Artworks and
Interiors
The palace's interiors reached their zenith in the mid-18th
century with commissions that showcased the Labia's patronage. The
double-height Salone delle Feste (Ballroom) is the highlight, entirely
frescoed between 1746 and 1747 by Giambattista Tiepolo in collaboration
with quadraturist Gerolamo Mengozzi Colonna. Created to celebrate a
Labia family wedding, the cycle depicts "The Stories of Antony and
Cleopatra," framed by trompe-l'œil architecture that integrates real
doors and windows with painted balconies, doorways, and figures peering
down as if from the Labia household.
Key scenes include:
The
meeting (or possibly parting) of Antony and Cleopatra on one wall, with
Antony leading her from his vessel.
The banquet on the opposite wall,
where Cleopatra dissolves a priceless pearl in vinegar to demonstrate
her extravagance—a metaphor for the Labia's nouveau riche status.
The
ceiling features Bellerophon on Pegasus, surrounded by vibrant,
sketch-like figures symbolizing time, fame, and other allegories,
including Tiepolo's signature white horses.
Other rooms include
the Green Damask Salone with a sculpted marble fireplace, frescoes, and
a ceiling by Pompeo Batoni; Brussels tapestries designed by Giulio
Romano; zodiac frescoes; and a mirrored room with grisaille statues.
During later restorations, artworks by Raphael, Annibale Carracci, and
Guido Reni were added, along with antiques and tapestries from nearby
palazzi.
Notable Events and Decline
The palace hosted
extravagant gatherings during the Labia's tenure, reflecting Venice's
festive culture. However, with the fall of the Venetian Republic in 1797
under Napoleon, the family's fortunes waned, and the palace fell into
decay throughout the 19th century, coinciding with a dip in appreciation
for Tiepolo's style. In 1945, an explosion from a munitions boat on the
canal damaged the foundations, causing fresco fragments to fall.
A
revival came in 1948 when French-born Mexican heir Charles de Beistegui
(often called Charlie) purchased and intensively restored the palace in
his eclectic goût Beistegui style, acquiring furnishings and artworks to
restore its splendor. In 1951, he hosted "Le Bal Oriental," a legendary
masquerade ball on September 3, dubbed the "Ball of the Century."
Attended by over 1,000 guests including the Aga Khan, Orson Welles,
Salvador Dalí, Christian Dior, Cecil Beaton, and European nobility, it
featured costumes by Pierre Cardin and others, reviving pre-Republic
opulence. Photographs by Beaton captured the surreal event, which drew
crowds along the Grand Canal.
In 2019, during the Venice Biennale,
Dior and the Venetian Heritage Foundation staged the "Tiepolo Ball" in
homage, attended by celebrities like Tilda Swinton and Monica Bellucci.
Later History and Current Status
Beistegui, after suffering
strokes, sold the palace in 1964 to RAI (Italy's state broadcaster),
which used it as its regional headquarters and undertook restorations,
including work by architect Angelo Scattolin. Beistegui died in 1970,
and his estate, including palace contents, was auctioned by Sotheby's in
1999 as one of France's largest sales.
In 2008, RAI put the palace up
for sale, stipulating cultural use per Venice's municipality, but as of
2026, it remains under RAI ownership and serves as a venue for studios,
events, and occasional conferences. The Tiepolo frescoes underwent
extensive restoration starting around 2008, rendering them largely
inaccessible for about 15 years (as noted in 2023 reports). While the
exact completion date in 2026 is unclear, the palace is not generally
open to the public, though special appointments for small groups to view
the ballroom and state rooms are possible.
Today, Palazzo Labia
stands as a testament to Venice's layered history, blending
architectural innovation, artistic mastery, and social ambition, while
adapting to contemporary cultural and media functions.