Los Angeles herald., 1907-09-15
PRINTING ana Leather work.

Leather-work and Illuminating became
important crafts The Ieather-work was
used for book covers and In the making
of furniture. Some of the leather wac
painted with dyes of different colours
but the greater part was Soied- The de-
signs were wonderfully graceful and work
ed with the greatesr nicety. Many Of the
books that could not be printed were H.
Illuminated on parchment These tllunf-
nators showed great dexterity in the han
ding of their brushes though their work
was not as fine as that done by the Flor
entine and Roman Monks The art OF
tooling leather and binding books has had
a great revival in Venice during the last
few years. Some of the finest hand-bound
bccks are the work OF the Venetian book
binders. Their leather toolkng also COM
mands great admiration from artists in all
parts of Europe
Architecture and Painting.
But patrician pride and love OF pomp
developed two other arts for Venice, archi-
lecture and painting. The gallery Of Ven-
ice is one of the finest In Europe and
hos splendid works showing what Titan.
Palma vecchto and Belhni did for ths
art of Venice. Titian's one painting
alone. the Assumption Of the Virgin,
would entitle Venice to prominent place
In Italian Art
while her painters were busy creating
splendid pictures for affairs her architects
were busy drawing plans of beautiful pal
aces ana great churches. On either side
OF the Grand Canal are to be seen many
| beautiful palaces, 1t was here most Of tho
7 old pafrician families built their homes.
! AS the traveller goes along the left bank
| in his gondola he sees the Punto della
| Salute and Dogana di Mare the principal
| custom house In Venice. Beyond Is the
I attractive church called the Santa Maria
| della Salute There is the Palace Dario
| in the style Of the Lombare, and the Pal
ace vemir that consists only of the ground
floor though the building is planned ON a
scale of great magnffcence. On the same
bank is the beautiful Palace Rezzonico
witch was built by a rich patrician in
the 18th Century. This is the house In
which Browning died. On the opposite
bank is the Palace Treves, largely known
because It contains Canovas last work
Hector and Ajax. The Palace Grimani is
the handsomest OF the Renaissance type
and is adorned with splendid carvings.
St. Masks.
But It is the St Marks square with the
giIded domes, broad place and high clock
tower that tell the traveller about the
really great splendor Of Venetian archi-
lecture. The history of this square is
long and glorious. II historical accounts
are accurate the remains Of St Mark were
brought from Alexander to Venice In 625
A. hrrtIf haaf
to contain them but this was soon after
wards destroyed. 1t was in the 11th Gem
tury that the venetians raised more
splendid monument to their patron saint.
Many historians believe that architects
were brought from constantinople to
plan this noble church but Cigognara and
Others believe that though Saint sophie
served them as model Is was wholly the
work of Venetian architects. 1t rs likely
they learned from the ByzantiDes how to
make their great gilded domes and their
rich mosaic figures 1t Is quite certain
that two Of the columns which adorn the
church were brOugh- from Constantinople,
there was another column but at the
time it was transported 1t fell into the
water. The one is adorned with the
statue of st. Theodore, the patron of the
city, the other has the winged lion and
lS tue eLDDleu VI ol- MAIN Ihcec Will
the splendid bronze horses were after
wards brought to Paris by Napoleon but
were later restored to their rightful plnce.
With these great bronzes are the rich
mosaics that adorn the church without
and within. The two mosaics represent
the embarkment of the body OF st. Marks
at Alexander and the disembarkment In
Venice. The oldest on the facade is Of
the 18th Century and represents the bring
ing Of the Saints relics to the church. All
the arches and cupolas OF the church are
adorned with rich moeaics- The oldest
dates from the 18th Century and repre-
sent scenes from the Old Testament The
altar is decorated with pillars Of ala
baster, four Of these pillars were taken
from the Temple In Jerusalem. Here is
also found a mosaic portrait Of st. Mark
act with many kinds Of precious gems-
Palace of the Doges.
1t was In the Palace Of the Doees that
the laws were passed which made for the
strength, the intrigue and crime Of the
city. This splendid palace was partly
burned rwice. 1t Is built about a large
open court and floor after floor are sup
ported by great rows of pillars beauti-
fully carved. The exterior of the palace
is elegant and sombre. the outside ex-
presses strength and the interior great
splendor. Every room Is heavily deco
A0tNd win pdAhNAAAbc thot ~tf0N e@-o ftt@-
and the ceilings Paintings that glorify
the city and the government. The walls
are covered by Christian saints and pagan
divinities; here Neptune. Mars and Venus
stand guard. The apartments are reached
by long flight Of steps called the stairs
Of the Grants where one Of the early
doges was decapitated. One passes two
colossal Statues Of Neptune and Mars and
enters the hall of the Scala d'0ro, deco
rated with rich statues and paintings
The room Is adorned with lovely fros-
Goes and splendid statues Of Atlas, Her
..,Io~ fhnrlftr ou1 Ahl1et1 = ftro.