Proc. Andrea Antonio Giuseppe Cornaro (H-39)



Born: 1 January 1671/2, Piombino Dese

Married: [Did not marry]

Died: 9 December 1742

ANDREA ANTONIO GIUSEPPE CORNARO, a member of the Cornaro della Regina branch of the Cornaro family in its S. Cassiano line, was named as a Procurator de Supra, 20 January 1716/7. The position of Procurator was second in prestige only to the dogeship and was the only other office held for life. There were three categories of Procurator -- de Citra, de Ultra and de Supra. The last of these -- de Supra -- had special responsibility for the Basilica itself and for church property in and around Piazza di San Marco.

Andrea was associated with two of the great architectural treasures of the Veneto. With his brother Sen. Federico Antonio Alberto Cornaro (H-40), he commissioned Domenico Rossi to reconstruct Ca' Cornaro della Regina on the Grand Canal in S. Cassiano Parish.

Andrea was also the 8th owner/manager of Villa Cornaro, his family's Palladian villa at Piombino Dese. There in 1716-7 he commissioned Mattia Bortoloni to execute a mysterious fresco cycle within a system of stucco frames and putti by Bortolo Cabianca. The fresco cycle incorporates an elaborate system of Masonic themes and symbols and is probably the earliest example of Masonic art in Italy.


© 1997 C. I. Gable