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The Construction
Construction on the Palazzo Santa Sofia, better known as the Ca' d'Oro (translated, the Golden House) began in the early 1420s and ended in 1430. One possible reason that Marino Contarino had Ca' d'Oro constructed was to create a monument to his first wife who died in 1417. Another reason for the construction of the palace was for Contarini to make a powerful impression of his wealth and status, a goal in which he brilliantly succeeded.
Most of the details of construction are known due to the fact that the majority of the building documentation has survived to this day. Contarini was very much involved in the construction of his palace. He personally issued contracts for the various tasks that had to be performed and in addition, he personally ordered the majority of materials used in construction.
It appears as though there was no master or overall design for Ca' d'Oro, but only Contarini's personal expectations. Two different workshops completed the stonework, sometimes working together and other times completing whole sections of the building independently. One of these shops was that of the Millanese sculptor Matteo Raverti.
The palazzo became known as the Golden House due to the lavish gold gilding on the exterior. Contarini hired the French painter, Zuan di Franza to put gold gilding on a huge portion of the exterior. He was also hired to put the color on the blue and gold coats of arms, which he did using gold and the finest ultramarine (deep blue dye created by crushing lapis lazuli into a fine powder). The gold and the ultramarine were incredibly extravagant given the Venetian environment, with its humid and salty air.
The result of this construction was a palace that, with its amazing decoration and stonework, created every bit of the powerful impression Contarini desired to make, and is still viewed today, nearly 600 years after construction, as one of the most beautiful Venetian palaces.
Past Ownership
In 1847, the well-known ballet dancer, Mademoiselle Taglioni acquired the palace, and proceede to destroy a huge portion of it. She shattered much of the red marble from the interior, dissembled the amazing Gothic staircase and sold it piecemeal, demolished the galleries overlooking the courtyard, and sold the famous wellhead to a dealer.
Finally, in 1894, Baron Giorgio Franchetti took possession of the palace and lovingly undertook its restoration until his death in 1922. Franchetti reparied the galleries and filled them with his personal art collection; he had a beautiful new stairwell built and managed to purchase the original wellhead, which he returned to its place in the courtyard. When he died, Franchetti left both his art collection and the palace to the state.
Ca' d'Oro Today
Today much of the original external decoration, such as the gold gilding and the ultramarine, have been lost due to the ravages of time. However, even with these changes, Ca' d'Oro is still considered one of the most beautiful and exquisite palaces in Venice.
Today the palace serves as a museum and a gallery where Franchetti's personal collection may be viewed.
References
- The Story of Venice by Thomas Okey
- The Architectural History of Venice: Revised and Enlarged Edition by Deborah Howard and Sarah Quill
- Ca' d'Oro, The Golden House of Venice
- Ca' d'Oro