Generously sponsored by Arnold M. Bernstein.

Painted by Girolamo Forabosco—a pupil of Alessandro Varotari and influenced by Bernardo Strozzi—this large canvas was commissioned by Zuane (Giovanni) Ventura as an ex-voto, a token of gratitude for the miraculous survival of himself and his relatives from a gondola shipwreck. Details of the commission are documented in a legal dispute between Forabosco and Ventura, dated between August 22, 1646, and January 2, 1647, now preserved in the Archivio di Stato in Venice. These records not only confirm the painting’s execution in 1646 but also suggest it was likely made in Malamocco, within the now-lost convent of San Sebastiano, before being installed in the presbytery of Santa Maria Assunta, where it remains to this day.

In 1674, Marco Boschini described Forabosco’s painting as “a votive offering depicting numerous men, women, boys, and girls disembarking from a boat, freed from a terrible sea storm by the Virgin.” Further insight comes from an 1863 inventory preserved at the Archive of the Malamocco parish church, which defines the painting’s subject as “the miraculous intervention of the Virgin, who saved the devotees from a shipwreck on June 14, 1610.” This ex-voto painting is highly unusual; typically, such works depict a perilous incident survived by the offeror and are of small dimensions and modest artistic quality. Forabosco’s piece thus stands out as a unique example in 17th-century Venetian painting history.

The composition is divided into two distinct zones: in the upper left corner, the Virgin sits with the Child on a cloud, attended by angels and flanked by Saints Felix and Fortunatus, the holy patrons of Malamocco. In the lower right corner, a dense group of figures portrays those saved from the shipwreck. Some figures are already on shore, while others are descending from a large, covered gondola. In the empty space between the two groups, a hat flies, caught in the wind. While depicting a miraculous event, the painting also serves as a vibrant array of portraits, offering a compelling glimpse into the artist’s ability to capture individual personalities within a cohesive narrative. Widely regarded as Forabosco’s masterpiece, this painting is one of the finest depictions of 17th-century Venetian costume and culture.

The painting underwent several restorations over the years, most notably in 1875, 1922, and 1959. By the time conservators Enrica Colombini and Sofia Marchesini began their treatment in September 2024, the surface exhibited widespread discoloration from earlier retouchings, along with an overall darkening caused by oxidized varnish and layers of accumulated dust and grime.

The conservation process started with a meticulous surface cleaning to remove dirt and deteriorated varnish from earlier interventions. Once cleaned, areas of paint loss were carefully filled and inpainted. The treatment was completed in June 2025 with the application of a final protective varnish.

Girolamo Forabosco (1605 – 1679)
The Miraculous Rescue of a Shipwrecked Gondola
1646, oil on canvas
520 x 350 cm
Chiesa di Santa Maria Assunta, Malamocco, Venice

Marin, Chiara. Girolamo Forabosco. Verona: Cierre Edizioni, 2015

Pallucchini, Rodolfo. La pittura veneziana del Seicento. Venice: Alfieri, 1981, vol. 1

Vio, Gastone. Per la datazione del “telero” del Forabosco a Malamocco. In “Arte Veneta,” 38 (1984): 202-203