Church of San Domenico Historical Timeline

Origins

A Dominican house was established on this island in the thirteenth century, deliberately set slightly apart from the town on its own ground, as mendicant foundations often were.

Turning points

The medieval church was rebuilt in the eighteenth century in a plain, late-Baroque manner. The campanile is older and survives from the earlier building.

Influential people

Vittore Carpaccio painted his St Paul for this church in 1520. By then he had left Venice, where fashion had moved on to Titian and Giorgione, and was working for provincial patrons in the lagoon towns. The signature and date make it the last securely signed work of his career.

Cultural evolution

The Dominican community was suppressed under Napoleon, as most were, and the church continued as a parish.

Present-day significance

It is now known almost entirely for the Carpaccio, and the painting's presence in a modest parish church rather than a museum is itself part of the interest.