Art History Patrons I - Enrico Scrovegni

A Plaster cast of a portrait sculpture of Enrico Scrovegni, by Marco Romano, 1317-1320, in the sacristy of the Scrovegnii Chapel / Arena Chapel, Padua

In 1305, Enrico Scrovegni commissioned Giotto, the preeminent early Renaissance artist, to design and decorate a chapel in Padua, Italy. Scrovegni was a rich man..His family fortune had come through usury. At this time charging excess interest when loaning money was considered to be usury, a sin so grave that it resulted in exclusion from the Christian sacraments, and many early bankers were concerned lest their trade jeopardized their souls. It was considered an unjust way to make a living and it certainly was looked down upon by the church. Remember the story of Jesus casting the moneylenders from the temple? Enrico Scrovegni was just such a moneylender.

Exterior of the Scrovegni Chapel in Padua, Italy

Enrico's father, Reginaldo Scrovegni had started the family business. He apparently had quite a reputation. In Dante's Divine Comedy poem Inferno, Dante says that he saw Reginaldo in the inner ring of the Seventh Circle of Hell, where the violent are eternally punished.Usurers are considered violent because, usurers sin against Art, and Art is the Grandchild of God.

Interior of Scrovegni Chapel, Padua, Italy

The Scovegni Chapel at Padua is considered one of the most important masterpieces of Western art.The two most notable cycles of frescoes in the chapel, are highlights from the Life of Christ and the Life of the Virgin Mary. At the end of the chapel, depicted on the entire wall, is the Last Judgement.

Of the Life of Christ fresco cycle, probably the most famous panels are the Lamentation (left) and Christ's Entry into Jerusalem (right) Either of these were probably in your Art History textbook.

Scrovegni's Padua Chapel was sited next to Enrico's palace, where he intended it to serve as his burial chapel.It is thought that the building of this chapel was part of a campaign to seek absolution for his own and his father's sins. It was conceived at least in part as penance. A rich man trying to buy his way into heaven.

In the Last Judgement fresco at the end of the Chapel, Giotto has painted his patron Enrico Scrovegni  positioned precariously between heaven on the left and hell on the right...

carrying the entire chapel ( world? ) on his shoulder. Forgive me, Enrico, but I can't help but think of this....

Enrico's bid to buy himself into heaven, eventually came to naught. In 1320 he fled the wars and civil strife that plagued Padua at the time and settled in Venice. In 1328 he was formally banned from Padua.He died in Venice eight years later, in 1336.