The Sky Over Bassano: The Mystery of the Wingless Angels in Volpato's Masterpiece that Defied the Council of Trent
There is a Bassano del Grappa that everyone knows – the one of the legendary Ponte degli Alpini, the historic distilleries, and the stunning views over the Brenta River – and then there is a secret Bassano, which reveals itself only to those who know how to look up.
At the beginning of 2026, the pages of the book "Il cielo sopra Bassano" (The Sky Over Bassano), co-authored by Guerrino Lovato and Giovanni Viale, rekindled the spotlight on a fascinating artistic enigma hidden inside the Duomo di Santa Maria in Colle, the cathedral that dominates the city from the top of its historic hill. At the heart of their study is the grand canvas of the Assumption of the Virgin, a masterpiece by Giovanni Battista Volpato (1633-1706), an extraordinary painter whose boldness deserves to be rediscovered.
The Book’s Dual Soul: Between History and Symbols
The beauty of this volume lies in how the two authors complement each other, offering readers two different yet closely intertwined keys to interpretation:
The historical context by Giovanni Viale: Viale dives deep into the documents of the era to reconstruct, with the pace of a historical novel, Volpato's adventurous life. In the text, the creation of the cathedral's canvas weaves into the major events of the 17th century, proving how art responded to the reality of its time. In fact, Viale connects the Assumption of the Virgin to the echoes of the historic Battle of Vienna between the Christian West and the Ottoman Empire.
The iconographic enigma by Guerrino Lovato: Lovato, a profound connoisseur of art and its symbology, focuses instead on a visual detail that immediately catches the eye as soon as you look up at the ceiling: the presence of apterous (meaning wingless) angels lifting the Virgin Mary toward heaven.
A Silent Rebellion Against the Rules of the Church
And this is exactly where Lovato's theory becomes extraordinarily fascinating. At the time Volpato painted this canvas, the decrees of the Council of Trent regarding sacred art were still rigidly enforced. The Council had established strict guidelines for Baroque artists: religious imagery had to be clear, unambiguous, and completely faithful to theological tradition so as not to confuse the faithful. Angels, by both dogma and tradition, absolutely had to have wings.
Volpato, by deliberately choosing to ignore these guidelines, performed a true act of expressive freedom. Stripped of their wings, his angels do not float due to an obvious divine attribute, but rather through the pure dynamism of their bodies and the grace of their flowing drapery. Lovato reveals a nearly "rebellious" Volpato—an artist capable of bypassing the strict impositions of the Counter-Reformation to create incredibly human creatures, deeply connected to the sensitivity of the people looking up from the nave below.
A Cultural Itinerary Starting from Downtown B&B
For our guests at Downtown B&B, this artistic treasure hunt is an experience within easy reach, as the Duomo is located just a few minutes' walk from our rooms.
Here is how we recommend you experience this cultural gem:
A coffee with us: Start your day at a relaxed pace while planning your walk through the heart of the city.
The climb to the hill: Head up to the oldest part of Bassano, where the historic Duomo stands.
The book in hand: We highly recommend stopping by one of the historic bookstores in the city center to grab a copy of "Il cielo sopra Bassano". Reading Lovato and Viale’s theories before entering the church will allow you to admire the canvas through the eyes of a true art critic.
Look up: Enter the Duomo, let your eyes adjust to the dim light, and search for Volpato's "forbidden" angels.
😉 P.S. A little final note: Come to think of it... Is Bassano a rebel by tradition? You bet it is! Between artists defying the Pope's dogmas, a fiercely independent local spirit, and that pinch of healthy stubbornness that defines us, our city has always loved doing things its own way (and maybe that's exactly why it is so proud and captivating!).
We look forward to welcoming you to Downtown B&B to serve as the perfect home base for your cultural explorations!
"This content was created with the support of artificial intelligence tools and reviewed by the editorial team."