Save Venice Inc.

10/22/2026

After nearly seven years, the extensive renovation of the Jewish Museum of Venice has been completed, and today it officially reopened to the public!

The ambitious project was carried out under the leadership of Dario Calimani, President of Venice’s Jewish Community, and Museum Director Marcella Ansaldi, with fundraising for the €12 million campaign spearheaded by art historian David Landau.

Save Venice contributed $2.2 million toward the museum’s renovation, thanks to the generosity of the Jerome Levy Foundation and the Leon Levy Foundation. In 2021, Save Venice celebrated its 50th anniversary by funding, with the support of many donors, the conservation of the Italian Synagogue (Scuola Italiana). Thanks to the museum's redesign, the Italian Synagogue is now fully incorporated in the visitor itinerary. The expansion also includes a revamped entrance, reception areas, ticket office, security facilities, new permanent and temporary exhibition galleries, a bookshop, a library and archive accessible to scholars and researchers, and new spaces dedicated to schools.

Save Venice continues its commitment to preserving Jewish patrimony in Venice with several ongoing and forthcoming projects:

•Digital cataloguing and conservation of the museum's world-class silver collection, with precious textiles also being catalogued
•Restoration of the Leon Modena Midrash in the Ghetto Vecchio
•Forthcoming conservation of the Midrash Luzzatto in the Levantine Synagogue, with plans in development for a comprehensive restoration of the synagogue itself

Congratulations to the Jewish Community of Venice for this monumental achievement and thank you to all of our generous supporters for making this vital work possible.

MEV | Museo Ebraico di Venezia Comunità Ebraica di Venezia - Jewish Community of Venice

10/20/2026

Join us at Palazzo Ducale next week for a conference dedicated to Save Venice's recent restoration of Jacopo Tintoretto's "The Last Supper" and "Israelites in the Desert" in the Basilica di San Giorgio Maggiore.

Art historians, scholars, restorers, and conservation professionals will present their new research and technical discoveries brought to light during the conservation treatment.

The conference is organized in collaboration with the Soprintendenza ABAP per la Città Metropolitana di Venezia, Abbazia di San Giorgio Maggiore, and Save Venice.

📅 Wednesday, October 28, 2026
🕝 2:30 pm
📍 Palazzo Ducale, Salone del Piovego

Register here: https://www.eventbrite.it/e/tintoretto-e-la-basilica-di-san-giorgio-maggiore-tickets-2003564607676

🎨✨ TINTORETTO E LA BASILICA DI SAN GIORGIO MAGGIORE: DUE CAPOLAVORI RITROVANO LA LORO LUCE!

🔎 Un importante restauro e inedite prospettive di ricerca ci accompagneranno alla riscoperta di due straordinari capolavori di Jacopo Tintoretto: L’Ultima Cena e Il Popolo di Israele nel deserto, custoditi nel presbiterio della Basilica di San Giorgio Maggiore a Venezia.

📅 Mercoledì 28 ottobre 2026
🕝 Ore 14.30
📍 Palazzo Ducale – Venezia

🏛️ Storici dell'arte, studiosi, restauratori e professionisti della conservazione presenteranno i risultati del recente intervento di restauro dei due monumentali teleri.

🖌️ Quali segreti nascondono ancora i dipinti di Tintoretto?
🔬 Che cosa hanno rivelato le indagini diagnostiche?
📜 Quali nuove conoscenze sono emerse dalle ricerche storiche e documentarie?
✨ Come il restauro ha permesso di riscoprire luci, colori e profondità di questi straordinari capolavori del Cinquecento veneziano?

Saranno questi alcuni dei temi al centro dell'incontro, che offrirà anche l'occasione per riflettere sull'importanza della collaborazione tra istituzioni, ricerca scientifica e professionalità diverse nella conoscenza e nella conservazione del patrimonio artistico.

🤝 L'iniziativa è promossa dalla Soprintendenza Archeologia, Belle Arti e Paesaggio per la Città Metropolitana di Venezia, in collaborazione con l'Abbazia di San Giorgio Maggiore e Save Venice.

🎟️ LA PARTECIPAZIONE È GRATUITA, CON PRENOTAZIONE OBBLIGATORIA!

👉 Prenota il tuo posto qui:
https://titorettosangiorgiomaggiorerestauro.eventbrite.it

💫 Un'occasione per scoprire come il restauro non significhi soltanto conservare un'opera d'arte, ma anche continuare a studiarla, comprenderla e restituirla alla collettività con uno sguardo nuovo.

📢 Vi aspettiamo a Palazzo Ducale!

Ministero della Cultura Abbazia di San Giorgio Maggiore Comune di Venezia Save Venice Inc. Comitati Privati Internazionali per la Salvaguardia di Venezia

10/05/2026

We thank everyone who joined us at the Basilica Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari Venezia last week to celebrate the inauguration of the restored Monument to Doge Francesco Foscari. 🎉

Save Venice extends its deepest gratitude to lead sponsor the Nora McNeely Hurley Foundation and donors Professor Patricia Fortini Brown and Dr. Alice T. Friedman for their generous support.

We also thank the exceptional project team who made this achievement possible: conservators Egidio Arlango, Alessandra Costa, Jasmine Segalin, Elisabetta Pinton, Benedetta Carrieri, Isabel Pizzoccaro, and Elisa Sartori; architect Marco Biscontin; officials of the Venice branch of the Italian Ministry of Culture and the Patriarchal Diocese of Venice; photographer Matteo De Fina; and Father Marco Pellegrini, the Franciscan Friars, and the Frari staff.

The discoveries made during treatment will be featured in a forthcoming publication funded by Ferigo and Claudia Foscari Widmann Rezzonico and Alvise Foscari Widmann Rezzonico, through the Fondazione Save Venice – ETS.

Photos: Andrea Pattaro/Vision

09/24/2026

Last week, Save Venice members enjoyed a before-hours tour of Tarot! Renaissance Symbols, Modern Visions at the Morgan Library & Museum, led by two of the exhibition’s curators.

Frank Trujillo, Sherman Fairchild Director of the Thaw Conservation Center, introduced the origins of Tarot as an elevated pastime for Renaissance courts, exploring its symbolic hierarchy—from the Fool to the World—and highlighting the extraordinary craftsmanship of aristocratic decks like the Visconti-Sforza Tarot, which combined techniques including fresco, drawing, and illumination.

Claire Gilman, Acquavella Curator and Department Head of Modern and Contemporary Drawings, then traced four major revivals of Tarot’s popularity as a tool for divination: the British occult revival of the late 19th century, Surrealist Europe in the 1920s, the counterculture of the 1960s, and today.

Many thanks to Mr. Trujillo and Dr. Gilman for sharing their expertise, and to the Morgan Library & Museum for hosting this special experience.

08/27/2026

August 27 marks the anniversary of Titian’s death in 1576. The undisputed master of the Venetian Cinquecento, his profound and enduring legacy continues to inspire 450 years later. Over nearly six decades, Save Venice has funded the restoration of sixteen works by Titian.

Two more projects are underway in 2026 and will be completed in the next few months: Titian’s 1560s “Transfiguration of Christ” from the high altar of the church of San Salvador, and 19 small panel paintings by Titian and his workshop from the late 1540s at the Gallerie dell’Accademia.

The panel paintings, depicting symbols of the Four Evangelists, satyrs, winged cherubs and female heads, once decorated the ceiling of the Albergo Nuovo in the Scuola Grande di San Giovanni Evangelista. They became part of the Accademia’s collection in 1812, following the Napoleonic Suppressions. Although they have remained in storage for several decades, the restored artworks will return to public display later this autumn in a dedicated room at the museum.

Both projects were generously sponsored by Arnold M. Bernstein†.

Photos: Matteo De Fina

08/15/2026

☀️ Buon a tutti! ☀️

August 15th marks the Feast of the Assumption of the Virgin. Titian’s Assunta in the Basilica di Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari is one of the most iconic depictions of the subject.

Between 2018 and 2022, Save Venice funded the restoration of this monumental altarpiece and its stone frame, thanks to major support from Beatrice de Santo Domingo and the Jasmine Charity Trust in honor of Regina Jaglom Wachter.

Discover the Assunta up close on our dedicated digital platform, assunta.savevenice.org, featuring mesmerizing macro photography, infrared reflectograms, and behind-the-scenes insights from the conservation campaign.

Photos: Matteo De Fina

07/22/2026

The conservation of Andrea Previtali's exquisite early 16th-century panel painting “Madonna and Child with Saint John the Baptist and Saint Catherine of Alexandria” and its intricately carved and gilded frame continues at the church of San Giobbe, thanks to the generous support of Mary Ellen Oldenburg.

Conservator Giulio Bono and his team are removing the darkened, oxidized varnish that had obscured the vibrancy of the artist's color palette and the delicacy of his details. The frame, a masterpiece in its own right, was decorated using a German technique known as Pressbrokat, a method of pressing gilded and lacquered designs into relief. Precious materials, including gold and silver leaf, red lacquer, and mother-of-pearl, were used to mimic the richness of luxurious fabrics such as brocade and velvet. Treatment of the frame is being carried out to remove thick surface grime, stabilize lifting and flaking gilding, and repair damage caused by woodworm.

Photos: Matteo De Fina

07/18/2026

🎆 Buona Festa del Redentore! 🎆

Celebrated on the third Sunday of July, the Festa del Redentore is one of Venice's most cherished traditions.

It dates back to 1577, when Venetians gave thanks for the end of a devastating plague. To mark the occasion, the church of Il Redentore was built on the Giudecca. Each year, a floating bridge is erected across the Giudecca Canal, allowing pilgrims to cross on foot from the main part of the city.

On Saturday evening, locals and visitors alike gather along the Bacino San Marco for a night of celebration, culminating in a breathtaking fireworks display over the water.

07/10/2026

We're thrilled to announce the completion of the conservation of the majestic 15th-century Funerary Monument to Doge Francesco Foscari in the Basilica Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari Venezia!

This wonderful achievement was made possible through the expertise and dedication of an exceptional team: conservators Egidio Arlango, Alessandra Costa, Jasmine Segalin, Elisabetta Pinton, Benedetta Carrieri, Isabel Pizzoccaro, and Elisa Sartori; architect Marco Biscontin; officials of the Venice branch of the Italian Ministry of Culture and the Patriarchal Diocese of Venice; photographer Matteo De Fina; and Father Marco Pellegrini, the Franciscan Friars, and the Frari staff.

Save Venice extends its deepest gratitude to the Nora McNeely Hurley Foundation, Professor Patricia Fortini Brown, and Dr. Alice T. Friedman for their generous support of this vital project.

The restoration inauguration will be held at the end of September 2026. Later this year, Save Venice will also publish a new book dedicated to this extraordinary monument and its conservation, thanks to the support of Claudia and Ferigo Foscari Widmann Rezzonico.

Stay tuned for more details!

Photos: Matteo De Fina

07/09/2026

Il restauro dello splendido dipinto settecentesco di Jacopo Marieschi "San Giovanni Evangelista in adorazione della reliquia della Vera Croce", proveniente dal soffitto della Chiesa di San Giovanni Evangelista, è stato completato grazie al finanziamento di Save Venice, con il generoso sostegno di Arnold M. Bernstein.

Vi invitiamo a visitare la Scuola Grande San Giovanni per la straordinaria opportunità di ammirare da vicino l'opera restaurata, ora esposta temporaneamente nell'Atrio del piano terra della Scuola fino a fine novembre 2026, prima di essere ricollocata sul soffitto della Chiesa adiacente.

Questo intervento rappresenta un caso raro: il dipinto, realizzato nel 1760, non era mai stato sottoposto a un restauro completo. Prima del trattamento, versava in un grave stato di degrado. La tela si era staccata dal telaio lungo il perimetro, causando un avvallamento di quasi 20 cm al centro, con un imminente rischio di caduta. La superficie pittorica era completamente offuscata da uno spesso strato scuro di sporco e vernice ossidata, ed era talmente secca e fragile da rischiare lo sgretolamento.

La restauratrice Claudia Vittori, insieme ai collaboratori Lorenzo Conti, Barbara Bragato, Silvia Bonifacio e Sofia Marchesin, ha condotto l’intervento durato otto mesi, stabilizzando il degrado strutturale e la deformazione della tela, rimuovendo il corposo strato alterato e reintegrando le piccole lacune pittoriche. Le analisi scientifiche hanno inoltre fatto luce sulla tecnica e i materiali utilizzati da Marieschi. Scorrendo le foto, potrete scoprire il dietro le quinte di questo importante lavoro.

La complessa movimentazione e il trasporto del dipinto sono stati eseguiti dai tecnici di UNISVE

Foto: Matteo De Fina e