The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1896-03-20
Nv nvnNING ~ PENCE.

Fine Illustrated Lecture by Professor Weir
Last Notwithstanding Things About
tho City of the Doges-Its Marvels of Art
Prof. John f. Weir of the Yale Ara
school delivered last evening at the Art
school the third in his course Of illus
trated lectures on some of the principal
centers and masters of art. The lecture
last evening was largely attended de-
spite the inclement weather and was
the finest thus far delivered in the
course. The subject was "An Evening
lures in an unique manner. He carries
his audience along with him in the
he on a personal tour. He said that
no city exerts so strong an influence
on the imagination as Venice, From
the time one sets foot in Venice al
though" said he, this expression is
hardly appropriate" he walks as in a
dream. which he fears will suddenly
change to reality. Everything is so
unreal to one brought up in the west
ern world, to one who has dropped
from the nineteenth century back into
the middle ages for O brief space of
time.
Venice was founded in the fifth CEN
fury by fugitives who had fled from the
devastation of Attila the Hun. These
fugitives at first stopped at Padua, but
when later it was decreed that a city
be built at the Rialto, they moved on
to the site of Venice and finally be-
came independent of Padua. In 1891
the first doge was elected.
Venice owes everything to commerce.
Her parallel is found in the history of
the Netherlands. From the nature of
its locality the inhabitants We're
forced to become sailors, and from this
fact arose the mighty commerce. A
trip through Venice is especially fine in
the early morning as day breaks over
the Adriatic, and sky and water are
beautifully blended. The scene is glo-
rious as the rays of the rising sun
flash upon st. Marks,
AS the lecturer described the various
places of interest in the city of the sea
fine stereopticon views of the places
mentioned We're shown. Among these
views We're those of the famous church
of Santa Maria de la Salut, of the doge's
palace in the center of the city, the Ri
alto, the Bridge of Signs, and the vari-
Gus rooms and halls of the doge's pal
ace. The hall of the Council of Ten is
a particularly interesting place. That
council was at first composed of judges,
and was appointed for five days, then
it's term of Office was increased to five
months, and the council was finally
made fixed institution with unquisi
torial honors. It's members were chosen
from the noblest families and held of
flee one year. This council ruled Ven
ice for five centuries.
The Hall of the Council Of Three is
also a most interesting place. view
was shown of the great staircase, at
the head of which the doges We're
crowned. The Rialto, a famous spot, is
now surrounded by shops. which take
much from it's beauty. The best pic
ture of it is that by the artist, Turner
It's bridges are the most picturesque
features of Venice. The chief charac-
teristics of the city are light and color
Venice owes all its magnificence of ar
chitecture and other art to patriotism
and not to religion. High art must be
melted by sentiment of some sort, and
with the Venitians patriotism was the
absorbing sentiment.
Prof. Weir described all the princi-
pal works of art in Venice, and among
these showed pictures of the palaces
which are supposed to have been oc-
and Othello.
In this course of lectures an opportu-
nifty is offered which New Haven peo-
pie Of culture and intelligence, who
have such keen application of art
and learning should not miss. The
next lecture in the course will be given
next Thursday evening on Raphael
and His Time"