2 Christ Blessing Giovanni Bellini 

Giovanni Bellini painted this image of ‘Christ Blessing’ in oil on panel in Venice, sometime around 1500. Here, we see Christ depicted with his hand raised in benediction, holding the staff of the Resurrection. The surrounding landscape, populated by animals, suggests an earthly paradise renewed by Christ’s sacrifice. But this image is more than a devotional exercise. In Venice at this time, religious art had a public role, reinforcing social cohesion through communal experiences. Bellini was the scion of a family that dominated Venetian painting. His brother Gentile and his father Jacopo held the prestigious position of official painter to the Venetian state. Giovanni Bellini inherited that role and became a central figure in shaping Venetian art. To fully understand Bellini's painting, scholars delve into archival records, examining patronage networks and the visual culture of Renaissance Venice. By understanding its original social and institutional context, we can better appreciate the enduring meaning of art.