GIOVANNI BONAZZA

Padua, c. 1700/1710

Flanked during a whole century by two important plaster works of Antonio Canova, in the main Hall of Palazzo Papafava (formerly Palazzo Trento), this suggestive marble relief was created by the Venetian sculptor Giovanni Bonazza (1654–1736). It stands as summa of Venetian sculpture of early eighteenth century, a true monument in miniature. The elegant marble work Fides et Decorum is in many respects an unicum as it once served as a base supporting a painting on slate stone by Leandro Bassano, the Allegory of the Baptism of Chiara Maria Minotto.