San Zaccharia is one of the most important churches in Venice, and not often visited by most tourists.
It houses several important works of art, the most notable probably being
Giovanni Bellinii's San Zaccharia Altarpiece, "Madonna and Child Enthroned with Saints Peter, Catherine, Lucia and Jerome".

Painted in 1505, this Renaissance masterpiece is in almost every Art History text book
as an example of how the artist incorporated elements of the actual church's architecture into the painting.
The columns of the church are repeated in the painting, as is the rose and ivory checkerboard floor,
making the painting appear to almost be an extension of the church's architecture.

The Virgin and Child are seated on a slightly raised throne, elevating them a step above the Saints.
Each Saint is shown with his or her "attributes", items by which each can be identified without checking information card.
St. Peter is always shown with keys, as Christ gave him the keys to His kingdom.
St. Catherine is always shown with a broken wheel as she was tortured on a wheel, and saved when the wheel was broken.
St. Lucy (Lucia = light) was martyred by having her eyes plucked out, and is shown carrying her eyes on a plate.
St. Jerome, a hermit and scholar, is shown with a book.
It is often a sort of "game" to try to identify various Saints in paintings by their attributes !

Notable also in this picture is a woman on the lower right, taking a picture of this altarpiece with her iPad !
We saw this numerous times on this trip, and decided that even the iPhone has been out-done !
What has happened to cameras ???