Palazzo Corner Spinelli is a distinguished Renaissance palace located in the San Marco sestiere of Venice, Italy, overlooking the Grand Canal across from Palazzo Querini Dubois and near the Rialto Bridge. Commissioned by the Lando family in the late 15th century and designed by architect Mauro Codussi, it was constructed between 1480 and 1500, marking a pivotal transition from Venetian Gothic to Renaissance architectural styles. Named for its subsequent owners, the Corner and Spinelli families, the palace is renowned for its symmetrical façade, innovative window designs, and a recently reconstructed wooden ceiling painted by Giorgio Vasari in 1542. Since 1966, it has served as the headquarters of Rubelli, a prestigious Venetian textile firm, and remains a private building with limited public access.
The Palazzo Corner Spinelli’s history reflects Venice’s economic
prosperity, noble patronage, and architectural evolution during the late
15th and 16th centuries, as well as its modern role as a cultural and
commercial hub.
Origins and Lando Family (1480–1542)
The
palace was commissioned by the aristocratic Lando family, a wealthy
Venetian clan, likely to architect Mauro Codussi, a pioneer of
Renaissance architecture in Venice, around 1480. Construction occurred
between 1480 and 1490, with the façade completed by 1500, as documented
by ITALYscapes and Wikipedia. The Lando family’s commission reflects
their ambition to showcase their status on the Grand Canal, Venice’s
premier address. However, by 1542, financial difficulties forced the
family to sell the palace, a common fate for Venetian nobles during
economic downturns, per ITALYscapes.
Corner Family Ownership
(1542–1740)
In 1542, Giovanni (Zuane) Corner, from the influential
Corner family—relatives of Caterina Cornaro, Queen of Cyprus—acquired
the palace from Doge Andrea Lando, as noted by venice.jc-r.net. The
Corner family, one of Venice’s most noble dynasties, sought to modernize
the building, entrusting architects Michele Sanmicheli and Giorgio
Vasari with significant interior renovations. Sanmicheli, a leading
Renaissance architect, collaborated with Vasari, a Florentine artist and
historian, to transform the entrance hall, staircase, and main rooms,
introducing classical elements like columns and round arches, per
ITALYscapes. A monumental fireplace by Jacopo Sansovino, a prominent
Venetian sculptor, was added, further elevating the interior’s prestige,
per facarospauls.com. In 1542, Vasari painted a wooden ceiling for a
room in the palace, depicting Allegories of the Virtues (Charity, Faith,
Hope, Justice, Patience) and Putti with Tables, a masterpiece later
dispersed but reconstructed in 2024, per finestresullarte.info.
Spinelli and Later Owners (1740–1966)
From 1740 to 1810, the palace
was rented to the Spinelli family, recently ennobled silk merchants from
Castelfranco, who gave it its current name, per ITALYscapes. The
Spinelli’s tenancy reflects the palace’s continued prestige as a rental
property for wealthy newcomers. Later, it was purchased by the Cornoldi
family, though details of this transition are scarce, per ITALYscapes.
The palace’s ownership history mirrors the fluidity of Venetian noble
properties, as seen in palaces like Palazzo Loredan Cini or Palazzo
Ferro Fini.
Modern Era and Rubelli (1966–Present)
In 1966, the
palace became the headquarters of Rubelli, a family-run Venetian textile
firm founded in 1858, renowned for high-quality fabrics used by fashion
houses like Armani, per usefultravelarticles.com. Rubelli maintains a
historical archive and showroom in the palace, housing over 6,000
textile samples, documents, and Venetian fabrics, accessible by
appointment, per it.igotoworld.com. This commercial use aligns with
Venice’s trend of repurposing palaces for cultural or business purposes,
as seen in Palazzo Foscari del Prà’s hotel conversion. The palace
remains privately owned, with no regular public access, though its
façade is a prominent Grand Canal landmark, per Tripadvisor.
Recent Developments
In 2017, Studio Berlucchi conducted a
conservative restoration of the façade, focusing on weather resistance
and preserving original patinas, per studioberlucchi.it. In 2024, the
Gallerie dell’Accademia unveiled a full reconstruction of Vasari’s 1542
wooden ceiling, a significant cultural milestone, per
finestresullarte.info. These updates underscore the palace’s ongoing
relevance to Venice’s architectural and artistic heritage.
Palazzo Corner Spinelli is a seminal example of early Renaissance
architecture in Venice, designed by Mauro Codussi to transition from
Gothic to classical forms, with a façade that balances symmetry and
innovation. Its interior renovations by Sanmicheli and Vasari further
enhance its Renaissance credentials.
Exterior
The palace’s
Grand Canal façade, completed by 1500, is a masterpiece of early
Renaissance design, located across from Palazzo Querini Dubois and near
the Sant’Angelo vaporetto stop (Line 1), per ITALYscapes.
Symmetrical Façade: The façade is divided into three levels by
stringcourses, with a symmetrical layout that contrasts with the
asymmetry of Gothic palaces like Palazzo Foscari del Prà, per
ITALYscapes. The ground floor features a central round-arched water
portal flanked by ashlar (rusticated stone), a novel element in Venetian
architecture, also seen at Ca’ del Duca, per venice.jc-r.net.
Piano
Nobile Windows: Each piano nobile (noble floor) has four bifore
(twin-arched windows) with round arches, divided by slender columns and
topped with quatrefoil tracery, a Gothic vestige, per ITALYscapes. The
first piano nobile features Codussi’s innovative balconies with a
half-quatrefoil plan, a design that became iconic, per venice.jc-r.net.
These windows recall Codussi’s Ca’ Vendramin Calergi, marking a shift to
Renaissance geometric clarity, per facarospauls.com.
Rusticated
Ground Floor: The ashlar treatment, with bossed (projecting) stone, was
a new feature in Venetian palaces, emphasizing solidity and classical
inspiration, per venice.jc-r.net. A limestone frieze with festoons
(garland motifs) separates the ground floor from the piani nobili,
adding decorative finesse, per venice.jc-r.net.
Restoration (2017):
The façade underwent a conservative restoration in 2017 by Studio
Berlucchi, involving cleaning of deposits, sealing cracks, extracting
salts, and applying protective coatings to preserve patinas and
polychromes, per studioberlucchi.it. Unsuitable plaster was removed to
prevent water infiltration, ensuring the stone’s longevity, per
studioberlucchi.it.
The façade’s Renaissance symmetry and
Gothic-inspired windows, described as a “prime example of Early
Renaissance architecture” by it.igotoworld.com, make it a standout on
the Grand Canal, rivaling Ca’ Vendramin Calergi, per ITALYscapes.
Interior
The interior, modernized by Sanmicheli and Vasari in the
16th century, reflects classical Renaissance ideals, though its private
status limits detailed documentation:
Entrance Hall and
Staircase: Sanmicheli, in collaboration with Vasari, redesigned the
entrance hall and staircase, introducing columns, round arches, and
classical proportions, per venice.jc-r.net. These modifications created
a grand, welcoming space, akin to Palazzo Corner della Ca’ Grande’s
interiors, per sgira.org.
Fireplace by Jacopo Sansovino: A
16th-century monumental fireplace, signed by Sansovino, is a highlight,
featuring intricate carvings and classical motifs, per facarospauls.com.
Its presence underscores the palace’s artistic prestige, comparable to
Palazzo Ducale’s sculptural details, per palazzoducale.visitmuve.it.
Vasari’s Ceiling (1542): Commissioned by Giovanni Corner, Vasari painted
a wooden ceiling with nine panels: five Allegories of the Virtues
(Charity, Faith, Hope, Justice, Patience) and four Putti with Tables.
Dispersed in the 18th century, the panels were reacquired since the
1980s, with the final pieces (Faith and Hope) purchased in 2013 and
2017, per finestresullarte.info. Restored and reconstructed in 2024 at
the Gallerie dell’Accademia’s Palladian loggia, the ceiling represents a
key moment in Venetian Mannerism, influencing artists like Tintoretto,
per veniceinperil.org.
Rubelli Archive: Since 1966, the palace houses
Rubelli’s textile archive, with over 6,000 samples displayed in the
courtyard and select rooms, per it.igotoworld.com. A painting collection
by Pietro Longhi and contemporaries is also exhibited in the courtyard,
adding to the palace’s cultural assets, though access is restricted, per
usefultravelarticles.com.
Condition: The interior is well-maintained
as Rubelli’s headquarters, with modern adaptations for offices and
showrooms, per facarospauls.com. The lack of public access limits
detailed knowledge, but the Sansovino fireplace and Rubelli archive
suggest a preserved historical core, per it.igotoworld.com.
The
interior’s Renaissance interventions and modern commercial use contrast
with the palace’s Gothic-Renaissance façade, creating a layered
architectural narrative, per ITALYscapes.
Palazzo Corner Spinelli is a cultural and architectural milestone,
bridging Venice’s Gothic past with its Renaissance future, and
maintaining relevance through its art and textile legacy:
Architectural Innovation: Designed by Mauro Codussi, the palace is a
“beautiful example of the transition from Gothic to Renaissance,” per
ITALYscapes, introducing symmetrical façades, round arches, and
rusticated ashlar to Venetian palace architecture, per venice.jc-r.net.
Its influence is evident in Codussi’s Ca’ Vendramin Calergi and later
Renaissance palaces like Palazzo Grimani Marcello, per walksofitaly.com.
Renaissance Patronage: The Corner family’s renovations by Sanmicheli,
Vasari, and Sansovino reflect Venice’s embrace of Renaissance ideals,
with the Vasari ceiling and Sansovino fireplace showcasing Mannerist and
classical artistry, per facarospauls.com. The 2024 ceiling
reconstruction at the Gallerie dell’Accademia, supported by Venice in
Peril and Venetian Heritage, highlights its impact on Venetian painting,
per veniceinperil.org.
Rubelli’s Textile Legacy: Since 1966,
Rubelli’s presence has made the palace a hub of Venetian textile
craftsmanship, with its archive preserving fabrics used by global
designers, per it.igotoworld.com. This commercial role parallels
Venice’s historical textile trade, as seen in the Spinelli family’s silk
merchant origins, per facarospauls.com.
Historical Figures: The
palace’s association with the Lando, Corner, and Spinelli families, as
well as its tenancy by figures like Giovanni Corner, ties it to Venice’s
noble and mercantile elite, per ITALYscapes. Its role as Rubelli’s
headquarters connects it to modern Venetian industry, akin to Palazzo
Loredan Cini’s cultural patronage, per palazzocini.it.
San Marco
Context: Located in San Marco, near the Rialto Bridge and St. Mark’s
Square, the palace is part of Venice’s historic and commercial heart,
per tripadvisor.com. Its proximity to Palazzo Querini Dubois and the
Sant’Angelo vaporetto stop enhances its visibility, per ITALYscapes.
The palace’s architectural and artistic contributions, from Codussi’s
façade to Vasari’s ceiling, and its modern textile archive, cement its
status as a cultural treasure, per finestresullarte.info.
Palazzo Corner Spinelli remains a private building, serving as
Rubelli’s headquarters since 1966, with no regular public access, per
facarospauls.com. Its current status and visitor experience are shaped
by its commercial use and recent cultural developments:
Accessibility: The palace is not open to the public, except for private
tours of Rubelli’s textile archive, available by appointment, per
it.igotoworld.com. The Grand Canal façade, best viewed from the Rialto
Market or vaporetto Line 1 (Sant’Angelo stop, 100 meters away), is a
highlight for boat tours, per tripadvisor.com. The Vasari ceiling,
reconstructed in 2024, is displayed at the Gallerie dell’Accademia
(Dorsoduro), accessible via regular museum tickets (€15–€18), per
finestresullarte.info.
Condition: The façade, restored in 2017 by
Studio Berlucchi, is in excellent condition, with preserved patinas and
enhanced weather resistance, per studioberlucchi.it. The interior,
adapted for Rubelli’s offices, maintains historical features like the
Sansovino fireplace, per facarospauls.com. The Vasari ceiling panels,
restored for the 2024 exhibition, are pristine, per veniceinperil.org.
Visitor Experience: Tourists admire the façade’s “elegant window shapes”
and “harmonious unity,” per usefultravelarticles.com, often
photographing it from the canal, per Alamy’s stock images. Tripadvisor
notes its low ranking (#856 of 898 Venice attractions) due to
inaccessibility, but art enthusiasts appreciate its architectural
significance, per tripadvisor.com. The Rubelli archive, with its Longhi
paintings and textile collection, is a niche attraction for design
professionals, per it.igotoworld.com. The Gallerie dell’Accademia’s
Vasari ceiling exhibition, opened August 28, 2024, offers an immersive
experience, recreating the palace’s original room, per
finestresullarte.info. Nearby dining options like Ristorante Quadri (0.3
km) enhance visits, per tripadvisor.com.
Cultural Role: Rubelli’s
archive and the Vasari ceiling exhibition keep the palace relevant, per
veniceinperil.org. Its private status limits engagement compared to
Palazzo Loredan Cini’s gallery, but its Grand Canal presence ensures
visibility, per loquis.com.
The palace’s inaccessibility contrasts
with its cultural significance, appealing to architecture buffs and
textile enthusiasts via its façade and Rubelli archive, per
facarospauls.com.
The palace’s preservation is robust, supported by private ownership
and cultural initiatives:
2017 Façade Restoration: Studio Berlucchi’s
restoration cleaned deposits, sealed cracks, extracted salts, and
applied protective coatings, preserving the façade’s patinas and
polychromes, per studioberlucchi.it. This ensured weather resistance,
critical in Venice’s humid climate, per veneziareto.it.
2024 Vasari
Ceiling Reconstruction: The Gallerie dell’Accademia’s August 28, 2024,
exhibition fully reconstructed Vasari’s 1542 ceiling, reacquiring
dispersed panels since 1987, with Faith (2013) and Hope (2017) funded by
Venice in Peril (£50,000) and Venetian Heritage, per veniceinperil.org.
Restored panels, displayed in a dedicated room, highlight Mannerism’s
influence on Venetian art, per finestresullarte.info.
Rubelli
Maintenance: As Rubelli’s headquarters, the palace is maintained
privately, with the textile archive preserved as a cultural asset, per
it.igotoworld.com. The MOSE flood barrier mitigates acqua alta risks,
though climate challenges persist, per X posts on Venetian flooding.
Future prospects include:
Cultural Access: Limited public tours
of Rubelli’s archive or Biennale-related events could enhance
visibility, per it.igotoworld.com. The Vasari ceiling’s permanent
display at the Accademia ensures its legacy, per finestresullarte.info.
Conservation: Further façade maintenance or interior restoration,
possibly with Save Venice, could preserve features like the Sansovino
fireplace, per facarospauls.com.
Digital Engagement: Virtual tours of
the façade or Rubelli archive, like Palazzo Ferro Fini’s, could broaden
access, per consiglioveneto.it.
The palace’s preservation and recent
updates ensure its architectural and artistic significance, per
studioberlucchi.it.