Cornaro crest





Bernardino Contino



Born: [earliest notice: 1568]

Died: [latest notice: 1597]

BERNARDINO CONTINO, a native of Lugano, was a brother-in-law of Antonio da Ponte, who designed the new Rialto Bridge erected 1588-92. Contino himself came to Venice in the second half of the 1500s, probably under da Ponte's sponsorship.

Contino was soon commissioned to design Ca' Barbarigo della Terrazza on the Grand Canal. Construction of the palace was suspended and never resumed, however, after completion of only the left wing.

Contino also created the two elaborate funeral monuments of the Cornaro family in the transepts of the Church of S. Salvatore. The funeral monument honoring the three Cardinals Cav. Proc. Francesco Cornaro (B-60), Patriarch Marco Cornaro (B-61) and Andrea Cornaro (F-2), located in the north transept, was created in 1570. The funeral monument to Queen Caterina Cornaro (B-31) in the south transept, overlooking her gravestone, dates from 1580-4.

Contino's three sons, Antonio, Tommaso and Francesco were also notable architects.


© 1997-9 C. I. Gable