The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1886-12-23

numhss In the evening perched On the
facade OF 81. Marks.
The guide now informs " We gre be-
holding tho
CHURCH OF ST. MARX.
This is q Romanesque building OF the
tenth and eleventh centuries, the brick
walls Of which are now concealed by a
lining Of marble. In the 18th and fol-
lowing centuries IL was remodeled in a
Byzantine style, and decorated with the
lavish and almost oriental magni6cence,
which now excites our admiration and
wonder. The facade received some ad-
ditions in tho Gothic style in the fifteen
century, which enhance the fantastic ef.
feet Of the whole. The form of the edi.
Gee Is that Of Greek cross-with arms
cxtended-covered by a byzantine dome
in the centre and one at the extremity
OF each arm.
Around the west and part Of the north
transept Is vestibule covered by Sc
ries of smaller domes. Externally and
internally the church is adorned with
Eve, hundred columns Of marble (mostly
oriental), the capitals of which present
an exuberant variety OF styles. The
most remarkable are eight detached col
umns in the vestibule, four at each Of
the lateral portals, on the west side,
with peacocks and lions.
The mosaics cover an area Of 45, 100
square feet, and the interior is also pro-
fuselv decorated with gliding, bronze
and oriental marble; some of these are
said to date as far back as the tenth CEN
ttury, belonging chiefly to the period be-
tween the twelfth and sixteenth centuries
and afford interesting evidence of the
aptitude of the earliest Venitians for
pictorial composition. Since 1907 st.
Marks has been the cathedral of Venice,
dignity which formerly belonged to y.
Pietro di CASTILLO.
We have now reached the widest
canal
CANAL GRANDE,
Or Canalozzo-which, the main artery
of traffic Of Venice, nearly two miles in
length and thirty three to thirty.six
yards in width intersects the city from
northwest to northeast, dividing it into
two unequal parts, resembling an in.
verted s in shape. Hundreds of gon.
dolas and other craft are seen here glid-
ing in every direction, and steam
launches ply up and down. On Sundays
between seven end nine p. m. a barge
containing military band traverses the
Canal Grande, followed by numerous
gondolas. Handsome houses and mag.
ni6cent palaces rise on the banks, fol
this is the street of the Nobili, the an.
cient aristocracy of Venice.
A trip on the canal is extremely inter.
esting.
THE GoNDoLIER
Points out the most important edifices
and if his words are true the vost ma
jority are of great Importance. The
posts-which almost line the banks
we're formerly the distinguishing marks
Of the palaces of the mobiles, and are
still so to some extent, being painted
with the heraldic colors of their propri
etors.
THE ACADEMY OF ART,
Accdden,ie dele Belle A,ti, is merely ,
picture gallery, containing some very
fine paintings. They are, however, al
4most exclusively works of Venitiar
masters. The spectators seemed mostly
interested in the works of the time o
Bellini and historical pictures by Gentil,
Bellini and Carpaccio. The guide callet
our attention to life-like picture of.an
cient Venice, stating that the artist wa
in extreme poverty during its execution
and giving that as the cause for tn,
want of inspiration which characterize
the individual figures as well as tn,
groups. He now drew us to a group o
paintings by Giovanna Bellini, repre-
senting the assemblage of saints sur
rounding the throne of the Madonna, II
the beauty of the nude figures, and I,
the powerful and imposing, though no
very saint-like, male figures. The fol
lowing paintings attracted special atten
tion: A picture by Boccaccino da Gre
mona, known as one of the best master
of the earlier school; Giorgione's "Storn
at Sea" is OF doubtful authenticity AMI
moreover much damaged; Palma Vec
chic is not represented here by his bes
works: Rocco Marconi's Descent from
the Cross" is one of his finest produc
ticns; Ttian's masterpiece, "The AS
sumption of the Virgin" requires spec
ial notice-the glowing rapture of tn
Apostles, the jubilant delight of the an
gels, the beaming bliss Of the Madonna
the magnifcence of the coloring, Cal
not fail to strike the eye of every be
holder. The gallery comprises what
perhaps the earliest known work of thi
master, and his last, uncompleted cres
tions, the "Visitation" and the "The Ds
scent from the Cross" The Presents
ton in the Temple" Il very attractiv.
, owing to the spirited character of tn
grouping and the beauty of the indivil