There is a little treasure in Venice tucked away in Castello. It's called Scuola di San Giorgio degli Schiavoni. It was the meeting place for the wealthy guild of merchants were from Dalmatia. The patron saints are Girgio, Trifone, and Jeronomo. From 1502-08 the downstairs meeting hall/chapel was painted by Vittore Carpaccio (who was also Dalmatian and studied under Bellini).There are several different panels, but my favorite is the depiction of San Girgio slaying the dragon. As usual pictures weren't permitted hence this internet version:
It's quite graphic, no? There are dismembered and rotting corpses on the ground as Giorgio thrusts his spear into the dragon's mouth and blood spurts out. The only thing I don't like is that the principessa is just standing there crying. See the tree in the middle? It has leaves on the right side and is desolate and dead on the other? The guard explained that the left side was considered evil, ergo dragon on the left. May I remind you that this macabre scene is hanging in a chapel?
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