The masterpieces behind San Pantalon’s modest brick façade

The San Pantalon church in Venice may look modest from the outside with its unassuming brick façade, but inside, it hides incredible treasures. Tucked away on the edge of San Polo and Dorsoduro, this hidden gem is home to the world’s largest canvas painting and a wealth of baroque art. You can explore chapels filled with masterpieces by renowned artists, which makes San Pantalon a must-see if you want to uncover Venice’s lesser-known wonders.

In this post, I will show you why San Pantalon should be on your must-visit list for your next trip to Venice.

San Pantalon

San Pantalon, or Saint Pantaleon, was born around 265 in Nicomedia. He studied medicine and belonged to the ‘santi anargiri’ (which literally means ‘without money’), because he practised medicine without asking for payment. He served as the physician to emperor Galerius (or Maximian, depending on the source). After healing a paralytic by invoking the name of Jesus over him, he openly confessed his faith in Christianity. Diocletian regarded the miracle as an exhibition of magic and condemned him to death in 305. Hence, San Pantalon became a martyr.

San Pantalon is one of the seven patron saints of Venice. You can see him depicted on the mosaic with all the patron saints of the city in the San Marco basilica. You can recognize him in paintings by his attributes: a compartmented medicine box, a long-handled spatula or spoon and a martyr’s cross.

The history of the church

The first church on this site dates back to 1161, with Pope Alexander III mentioning it in documents. Originally dedicated to Saints Pantaleon and Giuliana, the name was shortened to San Pantalon in the local dialect. The Bishop of Castello Ramberto Polo rebuilt and consecrated the church in 1305, under the reign of Bartolomeo Dandolo. The parish church originally faced the Rio de Ca’Foscari.

Between 1668 and 1686, they rebuilt the church again due to stability problems. Architect Francesco Comino reoriented the church by 90 degrees to make it face the campo, aligning it with Venice’s evolving urban landscape. He also designed it in baroque style which was popular in Venice at that time.

Unfortunately, a lack of funds prevented the completion of the façade. You can still see traces of the intended marble façade, hinting at the grandeur that was never realized.

The painting on the ceiling

The huge baroque painting on the ceiling shows ‘The Martyrdom and Glorification of San Pantalon’. The Venetian artist Giovanni Antonio Fumiani painted it from 1680 until 1704. Spanning 443 m², it is the largest canvas painting in the world. It consists of 40 panels which were painted separately and assembled in the church. This masterpiece marks Venice’s first use of trompe l’oeil, creating the stunning illusion of a structure reaching into the sky. As the colour scheme is very dark, you might want to put a coin in the slot to activate the illumination and admire it at its best.

The martyrdom scene is on the left-hand side. You can see the executioners surround Pantalon and their instruments of torture: a stick, a rope and a hook. In the centre, Christ and the angels welcome San Pantalon into paradise, celebrating his triumph. He receives a crown of glory and the palm of martyrdom, amidst garlands of flowers and musical instruments. The artist painted the twelve apostles, two by two, above the arches leading to the chapels.

According to the legend, Giovanni Antonio Fumiani died when he fell off the scaffolding to take a look at his final work. You can admire more of his works in Venice in the churches of San Benedetto, San Zaccaria and San Rocco.

INSIDER TIP: The website Churches of Venice is a great source with detailed information on the architecture and artworks of many churches in the city.

The artworks in the chapels

San Pantalon houses an array of impressive artworks, including detailed murals, striking paintings, and elaborate altars. They are spread throughout the church, so be sure to visit the smaller chapels as well. There are more than 80 works to admire, including some by famous artists such as Paolo Veronese, Paolo Veneziano, Antonio Vivarini, Jacopo Palma il Giovane and Pietro Longhi.

There are 3 smaller chapels on each side of the main section of the church. On the left, you will find the Cappella dell’Immaccolata (Immaculate Conception), Cappella dell’Addolorata (Lady of Sorows) and Cappella della SS. Trinità (Holy Trinity). On the right, the Cappella di San Pantaleone is the largest one in the middle and has 6 works depicting San Pantalon. Jacopo Palma il Giovane, Gregorio Lazzarini, Paolo Veronese, and Giovanni Antonio Fumiani (the painter of the ceiling) created these paintings. Next to it are the chapels in honour of San Bernardino and Sant’Anna.

The 2 chapels on the left side of the presbytery date from a later period. The Capella del Sacro Chiodo (Sacred Nail) was added in 1722. Save Venice restored ‘The Coronation of the Virgin’ by Antonio Vivarini and Giovanni D’Alemagna (originally from 1444) in 1996. It shows Christ’s crowning of the Virgin Mary as Queen of Heaven in the presence of God and the dove of the Holy Spirit. The Capella della Santa Casa di Loretta dates from 1744. It has a very poetic (part of a) fresco of the Virgin and Child by Pietro Longhi from around 1745.

The presbitery is of course dedicated to San Pantalon. The altarpiece ‘The Miracle of San Pantalon’ is the last known work of Paolo Veronese, as he began painting it a year before he died. Venice in Peril restored this painting around 1980. There is also a magnificent and huge marble altar, created by Giuseppe Sardi.

View from the bridge

After your visit, make sure to take a look at the Banksy mural which you can see from the bridge across the Rio de Ca’Foscari. Painted in 2019, it shows a young refugee in a life jacket holding a neon pink flare. I leave it up to you to decide whether it’s vandalism or street art, but it’s certainly worth a look.

The bridge is also a very quiet place to admire boat traffic in Venice. You will not only see plenty of gondolas but also water taxis and cargo boats. When you look in the direction of Ca’Foscari, you will notice one of the rare traffic lights in the canals of Venice.

 
Continue your stroll to the Rialto area, which is not only the location of the fresh market but which used to be the economic centre of the city (more info in ‘The unknown banking history of the Rialto area in Venice‘).

Have fun!