TREMIGNON, Alessandro
(b. 1635, Padova, d. 1711, Venezia)

Palazzo Labia: Façade facing the Cannaregio

1680s
Photo
Canal Grande, Venice

This sumptuous palace was built in the 17th century. It has three façades: one faces onto the Canal Grande, with a central door and three windows on the various levels, another onto the Cannaregio with a door and ten windows, and the third onto Campo San Geremia.

The attribution of the design for the palace is still uncertain. It is assumed that a little-known architect, Alessandro Tremignon designed the façades facing Cannaregio and the Campo San Geramia, and Andrea Cominelli designed the façade facing the Canal Grande. The façades adopt the classical two order style of Sansovino for the two upper floors. In the attics there are round windows alternating with carved heraldic eagles.

While like many of the other larger palazzi in Venice the Palazzo Labia is rectangular in design built around an inner courtyard, the two architects Tremignon and Cominelli broke the architectural traditions of such architects as Longhena, by designing the facades of the Palazzo Labia to be more simple and less cluttered, than those of the earlier Venetian classical palazzi, while still maintaining a Baroque richness achieved through the effect of light and shadow.

The palace is famous for the decoration of the interior. Giovanni Battista Tiepolo executed the frescoes in collaboration with Girolamo Mengozzi Colonna, the quadratura specialist.