A parish with an important history, that of Faé, a hamlet of Oderzo, in the Treviso area, which is further enriched by the discovery that a painting, The incredulity of St. Thomas, contained in it, has a certain value. In fact, it has recently been ascertained that the work was created by a collaborator of Tiziano Vecellio, Jerome DenteThe history of the painting is almost intertwined with that of the church. Faé became a parish back in 1548, but there is evidence of the first small church even earlier. In more recent times, in 1954, the then parish priest Don Guglielmo Buttignol had the new and more spacious church built, while in 1977 another event dramatically affected the place, the collapse of the bell tower, damaged by the earthquake the year before.
The sacred building houses an important parish archive, with documents dating back to the sixteenth century and, in the old church, there is precisely the painting that has recently been discovered to be by Titian schoolA discovery that ennobles the place and gives responsibility to the parish. This is largely due to the research carried out, with rigor and patience, by the Belluno art historian. Letizia Lonzi.
Professor Lonzi, how did you arrive at this attribution?
I came across Faé almost by chance. I tried to read not so much the missing documents, but the artwork itself. This painting was considered a work of art. “from Titian's workshop”, or more simply “of a Venetian painter”So, since there were inscriptions in the lower left corner relating to a signature that was barely visible or glimpsed, and since an analysis, let's say possible, of stylistic comparison, I connected the dots, if we can say so, arriving at identifying the author as Girolamo Ieronimus Ticiani. His surname was Dente or Denti, but they called him Jerome "by Titian" because he was a pupil of Vecellio.
What is the importance of Girolamo Dente's painting?
This work could be from mid-1562, although there is no documentation to attest to this. The attribution is important because, despite this painter's likely extensive work, little more than a dozen of his works remain, which are found in Pieve di Cadore, in the Marche, in Puglia and, of course, in Venice. Perhaps in this case he worked independently, therefore not as a pupil as such sent by Titian, but probably with a own independent client.
Faé's work cannot be defined as a masterpiece from a stylistic point of view, but it is important from a historical point of view. The author would have been a disciple of Titian, who had assisted him in many works. From the very little information we have, many say he had painting skills, but he also painted things, let's say, that were not always exceptionally well. He was considered terribly inconsistent, and there are groups of works that distinguish him for an embarrassing compositional quality. An anecdote: it is known that Girolamo Dente's brother was a deacon, his name was Paolo, and in 1525 he celebrated Mass in Venice. the marriage between Titian and his wife, who was called Cecilia.
She explained that it would also be very important to restore this work…
Yes, partly because it was perhaps overlooked by scholars and therefore, since it was in the church, but on the right side wall of the presbytery, it was barely visible. Furthermore, it had been reframed with a frame that cut off the inscription and part of the iconography. It's also somewhat blackened by the decades and candles. In my opinion... he might reveal a more quality hand than he appears to be now.
The parish of Faé, almost half a millennium of history
To remember the To celebrate the life of the parish and raise awareness of this important artistic testimony of the Titian school, a celebratory day was organized. The event included a visit to the church, an exhibition of part of the archive and other parish relics, and a narration of the site's history by Giuliano Ros, Federico Battistiol and the local group Ad Alta LocaAll enlivened by evocative musical interludes from the "host" choir, Saint Thomas of Faé, directed by teacher Lucia Zigoni.
The one to do the honors could only be Don Marco Favret, the young and passionate parish priest of Faé.
Don Marco, how important is the restoration of this work for the parish?
Meanwhile, the evening was very beautiful because many of Faè's parishioners were able to hear the history of the parish and also an explanation of this very important canvas by the painter Girolamo Dente, as I also mentioned at the end of the presentation. Here, we are heirs of a great beauty, of great wealth, not so much in an economic sense, but in a historical, artistic, cultural sense and therefore we must be the custodians of this beauty, of this legacy that we have received and we must pass it on to our descendants, as we have received it from previous generations. In this sense It would be wonderful to be able to restore this work of art to its original splendor.
You also made an appeal for help with the restoration...
Surely, if there was any sponsor, any person who wanted to help us, the contribution would certainly be welcome And indeed, we thank you in advance. But this was also an evening of presentation of the history of the parish. In fact, some historical liturgical vestments and some ancient furnishings were also exhibited, and therefore It was definitely an experience to repeat!
