New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-04-23
LION AND SAINT.
INTERESTING WORK IN VENICE.


very interesting piece Of engineering has Just been
brought 10 a successful termination In Venice. ms
& tho restoration Of the celebrated granite columns OF
81 Mark and ST. Theodore that stand near the Mole III
the Piazzetta, forming majestic gateway 10 inns
lovely City Of the Lasoons. Like nearly all Tue
campaniles in Venice, says a correspondent OF IL.
London Globen these columns had, IN the course OF
h Long centuries that have passed since their erec
,iop slowly tilted over until their tops overhung thelr
t,ses bv moro than foot This In Itself was dah
corous as the shafts m0noliths forty leet nis"
win n diameter OF only four and a half feet; but
,dded TO th, was the fact that the huge aoaci a'u
canl,ols. as well as the statues that crowned them'
wcre 50 shattered as to be constant menace u 'ne
lives Of the crowds Of Venetans who MAKE tne slep'
NJ tho columns base, their fay0rie resting pices'
The pecliar conditions OF the soil OF TINS city :"
,b so creoed long ago school OF architecture OF us
own: and the architects OF the present Gay Sem "
have Inherited the genius OF their cary 49,
signor Vendrasco, the Government archi'e'', W. ,
charge of the ancient monuments, nrst maue hi".ei'
, ramo by the clever and bold work OF uncerpihhins
I,rc, corner OF the Doges Palace and renewing i's
foundations; and he has now added 10 MS rep.u'o''
:y his restoration OF the twin f1aIIe'a 'o'a"'"''
That 90 St Mark was dealt with short time back
ond that OF st. Theodore is Just finished In both
mos tho method one invented by signor Vendrasco
uros tho same After the statues ana the capi'ais
had been carefully removed the Columns were cnu'e.
,nca,ed in planks OF wood which were ushu! v'unu
70 them by ropes Then by an ingenious arrahse-
n,cnt OF grdles OF rope and wooden wedges 'ne 'oi
umns were held I'm suspension while the BASES "eio
romoved The ground beneath was prepared ana 'io
hosos ren,aced nj proper level And then Slowly
ard gently the columns allowed 10 set'ie uo"h
into position-tlat OF ST. Mark on TO us own nat oo'
TOM that Of It. Theodore into Socket anu ho" ''
stand once more firm and erect
The bringing down Of the statues from the 'op '.'
cop,tals where they could not be minuely eAanieu'
-, IN. workshops Of the Ducal Palace for restoratoh
,roucht ont some interesting facts. 1he great ho'
which Eushln judged TO be "a spiehuu PEI "
eleventh or twelfth century bronze, Is louia " oo
splendid bronze certainly, but OF very ar greater "s
than he guessed, for the head ana Dou! are "'o'o %
an exceedingly fine Assyrian lion ana the statue u
:, rbeocore instead OF being wholly without
MORT ocoIn I, quote Ruskins words-s discovered
ia be made up OF rubbshy linus ani ad!uhcts anu =
finely carved head ana bust, the d.'ahs Vi "NA
seem to point TO It's being those OF Roman e'"p''
And vet Rl>hin WIS not wrong ior TIE ou'" Y, '
materials that form the statues are carved ana d.
, ,,i,hnut t.>rn and in defiance Of the rules u
mr. search made through the docu!ie" w, III 'I I
archives explains how tins came an. which had
I,.g il was decided TO crown inc oo'"i,s' -, ~.
,d ,,r. 6or $50 yeaIs with representations Vi the
Two patron saints OF Venice Tue AS's ~ ~ ~ ~
mo tnmnn emperor brought out u '"c ,or
lid ;rophrs and cobbi,d up into shape s.I .y nm
th,ir new position The non eioS nn u lar Bible
30 s 10 raise up. and thus was ;. mate whe the
like emblem Of IT, MAIN 70 pniS arm, and Ie
r,d shird and .pcar, ana placed on the paGh .. =
% ,,ns,e~ BECAME St Theodore Oh us crUcOuile INC
carly protector OF VENICE ,.a,. ,r,r, olovor and
mi n the ealy time architects were ci'nV' liz, 81"
tho nrspni day one, resemble theii one an 80 n,
" In. .nrn AZ those Oi the sixteenth ceh'ul. II .lO
- md, hv their u,,-or. rather, mlsus" ol inc'i
ar Will. the iiVrt> that joined me oiiriha ,tbe
Ion.tnnfiue, figure of metal c1t.eu VIII W., II,
,i,, h~onln hens being the only pace W"ci. ~.
!,l." ory ,avs such work was d0ne) all the tater
',,,k. ,ud Irrlkagns In statues ana caPlai,. w
N'',.,l ,r.oiher VIVA iOn bolts or tied up VITA iroh
,.rd and molten Lead run INTO all ihe r'u.i,E,,
IN ~ v,ich corrDding with the weather. 'oh'iao 'tiS
az ~, :" a. cola and eXpanding with the neat oiN in-
WIN - ,h, J,m,cr >ienor NenGra-cD states that ne
.,.j Grnn, among the marble Of the statue ana III,
,i .rJ ,Ln ol,1cl- Of -. Theodore over Ton "
,oaJ tWo hundrcdwclght or iron ana lJo p,unus,
i,,, ~ cnon,r # Wa, wonder the column hla
hc 1ne toplrivy / these heaps Of metal ama
~ ,tn .an,c time hal the opportunity on "Nahihms
~ ~ ,nt ~ - Theodore All the details go To COLI
nr,, Vcndrascos opinion that II i constantine. ne
,. IC,rdl.., and refined. the curly halr the VIZ
& oYt,ii,rc nose all answer to his Description; WIFE
~ a,nnr 4 oruamenod round i'll edge with non, anu
l"s trn thr breast plate. In high relief. l. iaun
- over which Two angel, a> Snppori".s diups
cha l,h,rum of CGnstan inc. III" fot OF iir' c'Ns
md ir in a tUf oi leaves and flowers. n u 10 say
tint Caiih must be living thing 40 be OF value. l.,
e, ThooIorc will now return to his lcty p'rch IN
,hn riazleita better md lighter man. Ills Iiinos
are united 10 hi, bodv by network Of slender coppr
,,,.c,es and has been coated over with some bIid
", .,ilcotr Which will cnnh" him 10 resist The de-
'r,r,ivn action ~ the at In the atmosp'nr' Ihis
ro may now expect that III, wat"lful lion OF So
Warl and the wollarmei warrior. ~ Th"nor', nn
,hcir twin columns. my continue Tor another oOO
wears 10 guard the interest, OF Venice.