BELLINI, Gentile
(b. ca. 1429, Venezia, d. 1507, Venezia)

Procession in Piazza San Marco (detail)

1496
Tempera on canvas
Gallerie dell'Accademia, Venice

This huge painting formerly belonged to the Scuola di San Giovanni Evangelista. Together with other paintings the tales of the miracles performed by the relic of the Holy Cross that belonged to the Scuola are told. In this picture the procession followed by the Doge and the Magistrates can be seen winding round the square, against the background of the Basilica of St Mark's, shining with it original mosaics.