Palazzo Pisani is a Venetian palace located in the San Marco
district, overlooking the Rio del Santissimo and bordering Palazzetto
Pisani and Palazzo Morosini, overlooking Campo Pisani, adjacent to Campo
Santo Stefano. It is the seat of the Benedetto Marcello Conservatory.
«The last major renovation was entrusted to Girolamo Frigimelica,
architect of the Pisani family, the same one who built the imposing
Villa Pisani in Stra. The purpose of the construction was eminently
celebratory: the noble Pisani family, at the time one of the richest in
the city, wanted a building worthy of their grandeur, gradually making
their way through the neighboring houses to reach the Grand Canal.
Famous people, sovereigns and princes stayed here: the chronicles speak
of the magnificence of the furnishings and decorations, of the gallery
full of paintings by the most famous painters. The huge facade of the
building, criticized by some for its ostentation, is enlivened by two
large arches above the entrance door»
(Benedict Marcellus)
"[in Palazzo Pisani] what is remarkable [there is] only the courage of
the ancient owner to spend so much money badly"
(Wild Peter)
Initial Construction (Late 16th to Early 17th Century)
The
palace's initial design is sometimes attributed to the renowned
architect Jacopo Sansovino, though actual construction did not begin
until 1614-1615, well after his death in 1570. Alvise Pisani
commissioned the project and likely contributed to its design, with
significant assistance from architect Bartolomeo Manopola (also known as
Monopola or Bortolo "il Manopola"), who served as proto (chief
architect) at the Doge's Palace starting in 1597. Manopola was notable
for designing the north facade of the Doge's Palace courtyard, including
the Clock Tower. The first phase of Palazzo Pisani was completed in
1614-1615 at a staggering cost of 200,000 ducats, making it one of the
largest palaces in Venice at the time—approximately 30 meters wide and
110 meters long. This initial structure featured a single piano nobile
(main floor) and was considered a "folly" due to its extravagant scale
and ambition. The facade facing Campo Santo Stefano was massive and
ostentatious, enclosing a small courtyard toward the street.
Expansions and Architectural Developments (18th Century)
Over the
following decades, the palace underwent gradual expansions, including
the addition of another floor. A major restructuring occurred in 1728
under Almorò Pisani (brother of Alvise Pisani, who served as Doge of
Venice from 1735 to 1741). He commissioned architect Girolamo
Frigimelica Roberti (also spelled Gerolamo Frigimelica) from Padua to
oversee the superelevation and enlargement. This phase connected two
wings with superimposed colonnaded loggias, created two internal
courtyards, and introduced Baroque elements that contrasted with the
original massive design. The result was a more elaborate structure,
enhancing the palace's grandeur beyond its 1615 form.
In 1751, the
Pisani family addressed a key limitation: the palace lacked a facade on
the Grand Canal. They acquired a smaller, older palace previously owned
by the Marquis Poleni and merged it with the main structure, creating a
wing that projected onto the canal. This addition, known as "Palazzetto
Pisani" to distinguish it from the larger palace behind, underwent
alterations during the integration, with its current structure and
decorations largely dating to the 18th century. Only remnants of the
original Poleni facade survive. This expansion gave the Pisani residence
noble access to Venice's primary waterway, elevating its status.
Interior Features and Art Collections
The palace's interior reflected
the family's wealth and cultural patronage. The entrance portal features
statues by sculptor Girolamo Campagna depicting two labors of Hercules:
slaying the Nemean Lion and capturing Cerberus. The atrium includes a
large ship lamp (il fanò) from the galley of Andrea Pisani, a former
admiral of the Venetian fleet, and wooden benches carved with the Pisani
coat of arms (rampant lions). The two courtyards are surrounded by
colonnaded loggias, and the piano nobile's portego (grand entrance hall)
spans from Campo Santo Stefano to the Rio del Santissimo. This hall once
displayed numerous family portraits, though only those of Andrea Pisani
(died 1618) and Alvise Pisani (1618–1679) remain.
The palace housed
an extensive art collection. An 1809 inventory listed 159 paintings
across various rooms, including masterpieces by Titian, Tintoretto,
Paolo Veronese, and Palma il Vecchio. The ballroom's ceiling originally
featured a large painting by Antonio Pellegrini. Almorò Pisani's library
and collection of medals and coins were once housed in a dedicated room,
now used as a music hall. Frescoes, stuccowork, and wooden artifacts
added to the opulence, though much was sold in the 19th century amid the
family's financial decline.
Notable Events and Residents
Palazzo Pisani hosted several high-profile events and figures. In 1784,
Doge Alvise Pisani organized a lavish party with ballets in honor of the
King of Sweden (Gustav III). It accommodated the Vice-King of Italy,
Eugenio de Beauharnais, in 1806 and the King of Bavaria in 1807.
Tragically, Swiss painter Léopold Robert committed suicide in the palace
on March 20, 1835, reportedly due to unrequited love. Key family members
include Alvise Pisani (commissioner and Doge), Andrea Pisani (admiral),
and Almorò Pisani (expansion commissioner).
Decline, Sale, and
Transition to Public Use (19th-20th Centuries)
By the 19th century,
the Pisani family's fortunes waned, leading to the sale of nearly all
movable artworks and eventually the palace itself. The City of Venice
acquired it piecemeal between 1897 and 1921, initially using the wing
facing the second courtyard for the Liceo Società Musicale Benedetto
Marcello. By 1940, the entire palace was dedicated to the conservatory.
The Palazzetto Pisani section, reoccupied by Pisani descendants after
World War II, became a separate boutique hotel and remains in private
hands today.
The Benedetto Marcello Conservatory
The
conservatory's history began in 1876 with the founding of the Liceo e
Società Musicale Benedetto Marcello, named after the 18th-century
Venetian composer Benedetto Marcello. It became a communal institution
in 1895 as Liceo Civico Musicale "Benedetto Marcello" and achieved full
conservatory status in 1915. In 1940, under director Gian Francesco
Malipiero, it was renamed Conservatorio di Stato "Benedetto Marcello."
The institution moved into Palazzo Pisani starting in 1897, with full
occupation by 1940. Today, it is one of Europe's oldest and most
prestigious music conservatories, housing a museum of musical
instruments and continuing Venice's rich musical tradition in this
historic setting. The palace's rooms, including the former library, now
serve as performance and teaching spaces.
Facades
The building, which clearly demonstrates the Pisani
family's desire to reach the Grand Canal, an objective achieved with the
acquisition of Palazzetto Pisani, has considerable dimensions and
therefore more facades.
The main facade overlooks Campo Pisani
and is characterized by the Istrian stone decoration, which gives it a
majestic appearance. It traditionally appears tripartite: in the center
of the ground floor we find a large portal, taken from the serliane of
the upper floors. On the sides of the latter there are windows with
round arches, whose keystone is decorated with a human head. They are
arranged to form mullioned windows: the two windows constituting the
modular unit then repeated have a column in the center and pillars on
the sides. The exceptionally powerful balcony on the first floor is
supported by two modillions and its parapet is decorated with a square
motif.
Secondary facades develop towards the Grand Canal
(completed only in 1751) and towards the Rio del Santissimo. Both have a
bare appearance, not comparable with that of the main one. Their
decoration mainly consists of single lancet windows.
Plant
The
structure of the plant has characteristics that are very different from
the traditional ones, which see a succession of rooms on the sides of
the portego. In this case, however, the building develops around two
courtyards, separated only by a loggia.
Interior
The building
has been the victim of looting over the years. Despite everything,
numerous works of art still survive today, concentrated in the ceilings
and stuccos. The portal is surrounded by two sculptural groups,
depicting the Slaying of the Nemean lion and the Capture of Cerberus:
they are usually attributed to the school of Girolamo Campagna. The back
wall of the entrance hall is dominated by the large fanò, the lantern
that stood at the stern of Andrea Pisani's galley. In the room of the
ancient library, on the fifth floor, there are two medallions with the
profiles of Martin Luther and John Calvin. In the mezzanine there are
some rooms decorated with stuccoes dating back to the second half of the
18th century.
The portego on the first noble floor once had a
collection of paintings depicting the faces of the most famous men of
the family: today only those of Andrea Pisani and Alvise Pisani survive.
The decoration of the room is instead the work of the painter Jacopo
Guarana. Decorations abound in the rooms on the first floor: among
others Francesco Zugno worked there for the creation of the frescoes
that decorate the room on the field and the adjacent one. The same floor
also has a chapel with an altarpiece on the theme of the Holy Family and
San Giovannino, created by Giuseppe Angeli.
As for the wing
overlooking the canal, it has two rooms which once must have been richly
decorated but which today appear bare. On the same side there was also a
room used as an art gallery, where valuable works were housed. According
to an inventory made in 1809, it consisted of 159 works, of which
two-thirds from the 16th century, about forty from the 17th century and
a dozen from the 18th century. The inventory also mentions the names of
the artists, including Titian, Tintoretto, Paolo Veronese, Bassano,
Palma il Vecchio. Adjacent to this room is one rich in white and gilded
stucco, attributed to Giuseppe Ferrari who allegedly made them in 1776.
To the right is a chapel dedicated to the Madonna del Rosario, enlarged
and decorated in 1717.
Another particularly important room is the
ballroom, now used for concerts. Its shape was defined by Almorò Pisani
between 1717 and 1720. The most valuable piece of art in the room was
once the canvas that decorated the ceiling, made by Giovanni Antonio
Pellegrini between 1722 and 1723. The canvas was sold in 1895 but it was
replaced in 1904 by a work by Vittorio Emanuele Bressanin, depicting the
Glorification of Music. This work was done for free. Simultaneously
Bressanin also dedicated himself to the realization of the fresco in the
other room towards the central staircase, once decorated with five
paintings by Veronese. In the room that now houses the direction of the
conservatory there is a bronze knocker, attributed to Alessandro
Vittoria.
Nothing remains of the ancient Pisani library other than a catalog dating back to 1807. Three years later everything went to auction and was dispersed. The library had been founded by Almorò Pisani and was the richest among those available to individual Venetian nobles. During the period of its activity it was open to the public twice a week and had a caretaker. The collection was rich in what were called forbidden books as they were frequently connected to heresies. The library also housed a vast numismatic collection, consisting of 6,000 pieces, to be added to the complete series of Venetian coins.