Date

Circa 1910

The Palazzo Loredan (later known as the Palazzo Vendramin-Calergi) is singled out by Francesco Sansovino in Venetia città nobilissima … (Venice, 1581) as one of the four finest in the city. The patron, Andrea di Nicolo Loredan (died 1513), was one of the main benefactors of S Michele in Isola. From this well-documented connection it would appear likely that he commissioned his palace from Codussi, for no other contemporary architect in Venice could have achieved so mature and coherent a design, of a classical sophistication unequaled anywhere in Italy at this time. Here, for the first time, Codussi articulated the whole façade with the Classical orders. The huge, crowning cornice was the first full Classical cornice to be seen in Venice. The composer Richard Wagner died here in 1883.