Vittore Carpaccio painted the “Miracle of the Relic of the Cross at the Rialto Bridge” in 1496 and it portrays Renaissance Venice. Primarily, it is considered a religious piece however, it also depicts the life aspects of Black Africans. The painting presents the Rialto Bridge which at that time was the only pass-over that linked the two sides of the Grand Canal. Over centuries the bridge collapsed several times and was rebuilt with different materials. The painting presents Rialto Bridge as a wooden structure with two ramps that meet at the center. The central area was a moveable platform that could be raised. This served the purpose of allowing tall vessels to pass easily. The other image shows a modern design of the bridge which is a white-colored stone structure with two ramps leading up to the central portico. In terms of continuity, the structure in the painting is closed in form as compared to the contemporary bridge image. The old bridge has several arches while the modern stone bridge is a single span structure that allows for easy passage of ships. This single stone-arch span provides support to a rectangular deck and has platforms located on either side. The top structure of the modern design is comprised of round arches supported by pilasters on both sides while the center structure forms a triangular roof-like design adorned with a mask at the mid-point (Gasparotto). A comparison of the two images also gives evidence of a change over time. The bridge in Carpaccio’s painting is made of wood which was a more common construction material at that time. In contrast, the modern bridge is made from stone and is a much sturdier marble structure. While the older design provides evidence of architecture in the Renaissance period, the new bridge uses modern architecture and material.
Works Cited
Gasparotto, Davide. Vittore Carpaccio, Miracle of the Relic of the Cross at the Rialto Bridge (Article) | Khan Academy. 2020, https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/renaissance-reformation/early-renaissance1/venice-early-ren/a/vittore-carpaccio-miracle-of-the-relic-of-the-cross-at-the-rialto-bridge.
