CARPACCIO, VITTORIO, or VITTORE (c.1465—c.1522), Italian painter, was born in Venice, of an old Venetian family. The facts of his life are obscure, but his principal works were executed between 1490 and 1519; and he ranks as one of the finest precursors of the great Venetian masters. The date of his birth is conjectural. He is first mentioned in 1472 in a will of his uncle Fra Ilario, and Dr Ludwig infers from this that he was born c.1455, on the ground that no one could enter into an inheritance under the age of fifteen; but the inference ignores the possibility of a testator making his will in prospect of the beneficiary attaining his legal age. Consideration of the youthful style of his earliest dated pictures (St Ursula series, Venice, 1490) makes it improbable that at that time he had reached so mature an age as thirty-five; and the date of his birth is more probably to be guessed from his being about twenty-five in 1490. What is certain is that he was a pupil (not, as sometimes thought, the master) of Lazzaro Bastiani, who, like the Bellini and Vivarini, was the head of a large atelier in Venice, and whose own work is seen in such pictures as the S. Veneranda at Vienna, and the Doge Mocenigo kneeling before the Virgin and Madonna and Child (formerly attributed to Carpaccio) in the National Gallery, London. In later years Carpaccio appears to have been influenced by Cima da Conegliano (e.g. in the Death of the Virgin, 1508, at Ferrara). Apart from the St Ursula series, his scattered series of the Life of the Virgin and Life of St Stephen, and a Dead Christ at Berlin, may be specially mentioned.
Source: Entry on the artist in the 1911 Edition Encyclopedia
 
About the food:
The dish “Carpaccio” was created by Giuseppe Cipriani in 1950 at Harry's Bar in Venice, Italy. It was named in honour of the Renaissance painter Vittore Carpaccio who was noted for his use of red in his paintings. Thin sliced raw beef served with a cold vinaigrette made with olive oil, or just olive oil and lemon juice (and sometimes Parmesan cheese). In more recent times the name has been used for a range of dishes created around the concept including seafood.
 
About the Restaurant:
This restaurant was established in the Nineteen Eighties and was originally named “La Fontana” no doubt because of the Water feature adjacent. In more recent times it was known as “Caffe Norton” whose heyday was in the 1990’s. It has always served Italian Cuisine. We purchased the business of “Caffe Norton” in July 2005 and immediately closed the restaurant for a much needed reconstruction. After three months of rebuilding and refurbishment, the restaurant opened with a completely new menu and new outlook. The business was renamed “Carpaccio Ristorante” primarily to signify the freshness of its ingredients and its commitment to excellence in Italian cuisine. As Vittore Carpaccio was recognized as a Master, so too we hope the restaurant will become recognized for its excellence.

Our Mission is to provide you with an exciting mix of Authentic & Modern Italian Dishes using traditional products from Italy and the abundant fresh produce available in Sydney, together with friendly service in a relaxed and comfortable atmosphere.

You may have also noticed the fish symbol in our logo. Back in Roman times the symbol was used by Christians as a covert way of identification – one would draw half the symbol in the ground (horizontally) and the other would draw the other half completing the picture, thus recognition was made. The symbol may have been used because of Christ’s miracles of the “loaves & the fishes” or “the draught of fish” at  the lake of Gennesaret. In any case it seemed appropriate to us to use the sign for a:) Carpaccio was a religious painter and b:) fresh fish is abundant in Sydney and makes up a good portion of our menu.

Thank you for your patronage and “Buon Appetito”

Your Hosts: Giovanni & Nicole Panetta