SAINT LEONARD’S CHURCH

The church of Saint Leonard is a Catholic place of worship in Treviso, overlooking the homonymous square, located in the historic center, between the Latin Quarter and Piazza dei Signori. A particular attribute of Saint Leonard, also known as the patron of prisoners, is made up of broken chains. In the church there are two paintings on wood, one to the right of the altar that represents S. Erasmus Enthroned with Saints John the Baptist and Sebastian. There are three works by Dutch artist Louis Toeput, called Pozzoserrato, the works are Saint Michael defeating Lucifer, the Martyrdom of Holy Veneranda and on the Major Altar, Saint Leonard with Saints Giacomo Maggiore and Martha. But the most important painting is the triptych depicting the Madonna and Child between Saints Bartholomew and Prosdocimus.

EXECUTION OF THE TRIPTYCH

The triptych of the Madonna and Child between Saints Bartholomew and Prosdocimus dates back to an exceptional artist born in the Treviso area: Giovan Battista Cima da Conegliano (1459-1517).  The painting is now located in an extensively decorated frame from the beginning of 1900s. The work consists of three panels and the central one, depicting the Madonna and Child, does not reach the sophistication of the panel with S. Prosdocimus, arguably the most successful of the whole composition. The triptych of St. Leonard owes its origin to a formal painting done for the Venetian territory, the so-called painting Zermen (Belluno), now preserved in the museum of Feltre. You can indeed make a comparison between the painting from Belluno and the central panel of the triptych of St. Leonard.

GIOVAN BATTISTA CIMA DA CONEGLIANO

Despite having spent his entire professional career in Venice, the artist maintained close contacts with his native city. The art of Muguai Treviso entrusted him with the realization of the triptych for the altar of S. Leonard in Treviso in 1510. For many of the works that he painted for parishes of the Province we can assume that Cima has made extensive use of his helpers.