Alongside his public duties and participation in Venetian social life, Pietro Zaguri devoted himself passionately to writing. He composed poetry, plays and short, light-hearted pieces, often intended to circulate in the city’s literary salons.
For him, writing was a source of intellectual pleasure and a means of observing human nature, allowing him to reflect with irony on the vices and virtues of Venetian society.
Among Zaguri’s best-known works is the comedy “Leone e Giulietta”, which he himself mentions in a letter to Casanova, recalling the success it enjoyed at the time.
The story revolves around Leone, an elderly philosopher who attempts to persuade his young pupil — the son of a prince — to control his passions, particularly those of love. The young man, however, is hopelessly in love with Giulietta and seems unwilling to heed his tutor’s advice.
Eventually, even the frivolous Giulietta undergoes a change of heart, choosing to marry the prince’s secretary rather than the prince himself, considering the former a more suitable match.
The plot, both playful and moralising, reflects the theatrical tastes of eighteenth-century Venice and Zaguri’s ability to combine light-hearted humour with psychological insight.
Among Zaguri’s best-known works is the comedy Leone e Giulietta, which he himself mentions in a letter to Casanova, recalling the success it enjoyed at the time.
The story revolves around Leone, an elderly philosopher who attempts to persuade his young pupil — the son of a prince — to control his passions, particularly those of love. The young man, however, is hopelessly in love with Giulietta and seems unwilling to heed his tutor’s advice.
Eventually, even the frivolous Giulietta undergoes a change of heart, choosing to marry the prince’s secretary rather than the prince himself, considering the former a more suitable match.
The plot, both playful and moralising, reflects the theatrical tastes of eighteenth-century Venice and Zaguri’s ability to combine light-hearted humour with psychological insight.
Among Zaguri’s most enduring passions was architecture, to which he devoted himself with remarkable dedication. Although not a professional architect, he was a cultivated amateur, driven by aesthetic curiosity and a desire to improve the architectural landscape of his city.
He produced designs for churches, bridges and theatres, as well as undertaking alterations to his own residence, including the reconstruction of the mezzanine floor of Palazzo Zaguri.
His best-known architectural contribution is the façade of the Church of San Maurizio.
For this project, he was probably inspired by Sansovino’s design for the Church of San Geminiano, which once stood opposite St Mark’s Basilica and was later demolished during the Napoleonic period.
Zaguri reinterpreted Sansovino’s model according to his own artistic vision, striking a balance between elegance, dynamism and a more decorative approach than the emerging austerity of Neoclassical architecture.
In his correspondence with Casanova, particularly in a letter dated 8 October 1790, Zaguri also mentions plans for La Fenice Theatre, reflecting his involvement in Venice’s cultural and artistic life.
These projects highlight his interest in theatre, not only as a playwright but also as someone attentive to the design of theatrical spaces and their aesthetic qualities.
Stylistically, Zaguri rejected Neoclassicism, which was rapidly gaining ground at the time, favouring instead the more fluid, elegant and decorative Rococo style.
This preference also brought him into a lively debate with Andrea Memmo, a friend of Casanova and a leading figure in Venetian reformist circles.
Their disagreement reflected the aesthetic tensions of the period: on the one hand, the emerging preference for rationality, restraint and classical simplicity; on the other, the freer, more playful and decorative style of the Rococo, which Zaguri continued to champion
Would you like to discover the palace where Casanova actually lived? Visit the Permanent Museum dedicated to Giacomo Casanova at Palazzo Zaguri.
