Keeping Faith

  Venice, Italy:  Cathedrals & Palazzi

Considered to be a somewhat plain Gothic church, the interior of Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari comes as a surprise.  It is then, you realise how cavernous and intricate a building it really is.  Either side of the main door, are large monuments to Titan (1853) and Canova (1822).  Canova’s is especially interesting due to its strong pyramid shape, a rare thing I would have thought for the time.  A little further down, Titan’s “Madonna di Ca’ Pesaro” (1526) positively glows, whilst Bellini’s “Madonna Enthroned with Saints” (1488) and Donatello’s statue “John the Baptist” (1450) flank the High Altar.  This vision is made even more splendid by Titian’s “Assumption of the Virgin” (1518).  We sat briefly in the front pew, not wanting to stay unless we too were spirited away on the wings of angels. (May the force be with you – as was the raison d’etre of art in those days, and too it seems, a lot of showing off.  Well, has anything really changed?)

Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari interior

Then it was over several bridges, down narrow streets and through leafy squares to find the Ca Rezzonico, another fabulous mansion, with a serious art collection. 

Typically,  palazzi in Venice are made up of three storeys.  The ground floor (at water level) is usually a warehouse & office space, the second (piano nobile) a glitzy reminder of the family’s wealth and status and used for entertaining visitors, and the third, family rooms.  The family rooms were, depending on the family, marginally less showy than the reception rooms.  Above, in the attic, were servant’s rooms.  And you would have needed a small army of them...

Remember to look up!

The Ca Rezzonico is dedicated to celebrating 18^th c Venice and visitors arrive now, as they did in days gone by via the grand stairwell into the sumptuous ballroom.  The rest of the palace is strewn with fabulous chandeliers, amazing furnishings, painted ceilings (some by Tiepolo, no less), dainty porcelain collections and endless sculptures of shining ebony slaves in chains. 

Marco Polo (1254-1324) born near the Rialto had made for China and, after surviving a stint of some 20 years under the great Kublai Khan, brought home many wondrous things.  So Venice became the gateway to the exotic east.  This fascination for the orient is evident in the furnishings in Ca Rezzonico too.  The attic also contains an extensive collection of the Venetian School of Painting and a reconstructed and completely kitted out Apothecary Shop (in the Met NYC style).  Impressive now, imagine it then…

And look closely - just don't touch!

The Lido is “the” seaside resort in Italy for new age worshippers.  It attracts the young, rich, famous and beautiful…and a few odd bods like us to check out what all the fuss is about.  But forget the beaches, forget lagoon waters thrashed by endless cigar boats propelled by testosterone driven males in, dare I mention it boys, budgie smugglers - we came for the supermarket.  A large (not by our standards) supermarket in Venice is a treat and this one is stuffed with all things tasty.  We’ll be back!!  Isn’t it all about the simple things?  Hmmm…  After decorating lessons learned from our day of in palazzi & cathedrals, maybe not!   

Some Venetian Masks were really quite beautiful