17th-century ex-voto at Tignale redeems bandit Zanzanù's memory
At the Santuario di Montecastello in Tignale, Italy, a monumental ex-voto painting—considered the world's largest—narrates the fall of brigand Giovanni Beatrice, known as Zanzanù. Commissioned after his death on August 17, 1617, by local militias, the work by Andrea Bertanza depicts Zanzanù not as a grotesque criminal but with tragic dignity, transforming him into a folk hero. Over centuries, the figure of his killer was deliberately abraded by visitors, a symbolic damnatio memoriae against the executioner. The painter included himself among armed men, his expression questioning the celebration. The artwork subverts its original intent, turning a votive offering into a paradoxical redemption of an outlaw.
Key facts
- The ex-voto is housed at Santuario di Montecastello in Tignale, Italy.
- It is considered the largest votive tablet in the world.
- The painting depicts the brigand Giovanni Beatrice, alias Zanzanù.
- Zanzanù was killed on August 17, 1617, by Tignale militias.
- The work was commissioned to painter Andrea Bertanza.
- The killer's figure was methodically abraded by visitors over centuries.
- Bertanza included a self-portrait among armed men with a bewildered expression.
- The painting transforms Zanzanù from a criminal into a tragic hero.
Entities
Artists
- Giovanni Beatrice
- Zanzanù
- Andrea Bertanza
Institutions
- Santuario di Montecastello
- Artribune
Locations
- Tignale
- Italy
- Garda
- Venezia