The Oratorio dei Crociferi is a treasure trove of works by Palma il Giovane depicting the history of the religious order of the Crociferi, which was founded in the thirtheenth century.
The order of the Crociferi was suppressed in the seventeenth century. The hospital was founded in the middle of the 12th century by Crucifer brothers to aid and give shelter to pilgrims and crusaders on their way to the Holy Land. The structure was converted into a hospital during the 1300s to give aid and comfort to indigent women. The building has retained its purpose as a shelter, named after Renier Zen, the doge that in 1268 bequeathed the Crucifer a considerable inheritance. In the 16th century, a series of renovations culminated in the artistic decoration of the oratory, commissioned by the Crucifer brothers and by the Procuratori di San Marco who hired Jacopo Palma the Younger. Works lasted from 1583 to 1592. The eight large canvases that occupy the walls recount with remarkable realism the events surrounding the history of the hospital - the donation left by Zen and the election of Doge Pasquale Cicogna - and the Crucifer brothers as well as some important moments in the Christian tradition, which were especially dear to them. On the coffered ceiling, a choir of musical angels surround the Lady of the Assumption, patron of the church.
Map of Oratorio dei Crociferi