Scuola di San Rocco

It rained all day today in Venice, which was ideal for a visit to this large building (which I mentioned in my comment to yesterday's blip). It was built in the 16th century as the seat of a confraternity (Scuola) dedicated to Saint Roch (San Rocco in Italian).  In 1564 the wealthy group  commissioned Tintoretto to provide paintings for the building, and he worked on the project for over twenty years. The works are mostly large, on two extensive floors; this blip gives a sense of  the second floor (one long flight up). We had been once before, and I recall not having been terribly impressed (for whatever reasons).  But this time I was blown away. Tintoretto was a devout Catholic, and the paintings are a very powerful and highly creative expression of his faith.