Rear cover for the Pala d'oro

There are two rear covers for the Pala d'oro, one is attributed to Francesco de' Franceschi (15th century) and it is still in use. In the Museum we find the later board by Maffeo Verona, the painter active as cartoonist for the mosaics of the basilica.

The painted board by Maffeo Verona (1614) repeats the layout of the older cover, with Christ benedictory occupying the entire height and the twelve apostles arranged on two registers at his sides

In the upper register: St Simon holding a book, St. James Major with the pilgrim stick and St. Peter with his keys; on the right: St. John writing the Gospel, with an eagle, his symbol, St. Andrew that holds a big cross and St. Bartholomew with the left hand holds a knife.

In the lower register, on the left: St. Thaddeus with a book and a club, St. Thomas that holds a square and a spear , St. Matthias with a book and a halberd; on the right: St. Philip reading an open book and holding a long cross with his left hand, St. Matthew writing his gospel on the book supported by an angel, his symbol, St. James Minor that holds a hatchet in his right hand.

On the open book in the hands of the blessing Christ it is possibile to read of John's gospel (14, 27): "pace meam do vobis pacem relinquo vobis" (I leave you peace, my peace I give you). Below, under the painter's signature "mapheus verona p.[inxit]", in a scroll we read: "liquisti mundo marce / tua munera / pacem / pax igitur veneto vivat / in imperio" (Oh Mark, you left the peace to the world, as a gift. May peace be present in the Venetian dominion).
In the double invocation for peace, as a gift from Christ and his evangelist Mark, patron of the city, we read after the serious conflicts of the twentieth century the choice of a neutral policy among the great powers of Europe.

Maffeo Verona
Rear cover for the Pala d’oro
Venice, 1614