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The only time that Ruskin uses the form Santo Stefano is when he is apparently copying directly from the Italian of Zanotto at Notebook M p.74AL; otherwise he always uses in the notebooks as in the published work the unconventional form ‘San Stefano’.
At Works, 9.43 Santo Stefano, the church of the Augustinians at Nadali & Vianello (1999) Tav. 40, is cited, along with the Frari, the Franciscan church, and SS Giovanni e Paolo, the Dominican Church as one of the buildings which ‘chiefly’ represent ecclesiastical Gothic in Venice. At Works, 11.433 it is seen as the best example of the style in Venice. At Notebook M p.74AL Ruskin quotes Zanotto (1847) to suggest that the building was started in ‘7th June 1294, and was finished as noted by Sansovino 1325’. However it seems possible that Ruskin was misled into conflating the foundation of the church and the building as it now is. However he does makes the point at Works, 11.433 that the west entrance is only a little before the Porta della Carta, and so shows evidence of decline. On this decline see also Works, 11.13.
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Plate XV of Willis (1835) (above) shows the door of Santo Stefano, cited by Willis at page 119 as an example of a late Gothic door where the ‘distinction of orders is lost’. The page is referred to by Ruskin at Notebook M p.125.
For a modern photograph of the door see under Santo Stefano here, and in its context on the West Front of Santo Stefano see here.
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There are references to architectural features of Santo Stefano in Stones of Venice:
bases - see number 20 at Works, 9.336 and the facing plate X facing Works, 9.336, and the discussion at Works, 9.341f; number 11 of Plate XI facing Works, 9.340 and number 6 of Plate XII facing Works, 9.342.
capitals, cornice, and abaci - see Works, 11.276 where capital of Santo Stefano is characterised as described as late gothic; fig 14 of plate XX facing Works, 10.431; Works, 11.282f and number 58 of Plate X facing Works, 11.282.
chamfer in its windows - see Works, 9.315.
jambs - see Works, 11.270 and illustration 10 of Plate VII facing Works, 11.270.
References in the small notebooks:
Sheet No. 39, Sheet No. 42, Sheet No. 126
Gothic Book p.25L - on bases
Gothic Book pp.66L-69L on chamfer, abacus, dentil, arch, capital measurements and drawings
House Book 2 pp.43L and 43 - tracery of the apse
St M[arks] Book p.72 - mouldings and tracery
St M[arks] Book pp.73L and 73 - main door
St M[arks] Book p.75L - West Front
References in the large notebooks:
Notebook M p.47 - with reference to Sheet No. 30 [n/a], concerning base, abacus, arch moulding, dentils, chamfer;
Notebook M p.48 - Santo Stefano, with SS.Giovanni e Paolo, represents one of the first pools or eddies of the stream of Gothic;
Notebook M p.58 - second house beyond Danieli’s has Lombard capitals like Santo Stefano on upper story;
Notebook M p.61 - Ruskin sets himself a question about the development of crockets to the state they reached in Santo Stefano and St Marks;
Notebook M p.62 - reference to Sheet No. 39;
Notebook M p.63 - reference to Sheet No. 30 [n/a];
Notebook M p.73A - comparing the Byzantine and Lombard features of capitals of Santo Stefano and Fondaco dei Turchi as part of a general attempt to give system to his thinking about capitals. Compare Notebook M2 pp.5ff, and see Works, 11.273;
Notebook M p.74AL - material from Venezia e le sue lagune on dating of Santo Stefano in more detail than the note from the same source at Notebook M2 p.10 which Ruskin cites in his Index to M as the note concerned with the date of Santo Stefano. Perhaps this page, a left hand page, was written after the index. It seems that here, as with the Frari, Ruskin conflates the foundation of the church with the building of the church as it currently exists, and does not recognise the complexity of its building history;
Notebook M p.108 - leaf moulding compared with one shown at Door Book p.19 and noticed by Ruskin at Santo Stefano on Christmas day;
Notebook M p.150 - Santo Stefano used, along with the Frari and SS.Giovanni e Paolo, as an example of the earlier Italian tracery which is fitted to the arch, and so distinguished from Madonna dell’ Orto and Foscari;
Notebook M p.166L continues on Notebook M p.176 and Notebook M p.177L examination of capitals and base in relation to sheets;
Notebook M p.166 - For the reference to Porta Santo Stefano compare Works, 9.13 and Works, 11.433;
Notebook M p.210 - Example of churches with flat ball in niche spandril;
Notebook M2 p.10 - note on date.
Notebook M2 p.30 Open Foliation of the door of Santo Stefano most closely approaches the northern form, but is still at the back of the arch;
Notebook M2 p.122 rose and leaf plinths of Sant’ Anastasia in Verona are compared with Santo Stefano, but those in Verona are much sharper and more finely cut.
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[Version 0.05: May 2008]
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