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52 FIRST PERIOD.
tain of new red velvet with a gilt edge and two golden tassels,
held up in a dainty manner by two angels in the upholsterer's
service; and above all, for concentration of effect, a star or
sun, some five feet broad, the spikes of which conceal the
whole of the figure of the Madonna except the head and
hands.
§ xxxvn. The pavement is however still left open, and it is
of infinite interest, although grievously distorted and defaced.
For whenever a new chapel has been built, or a new altar
erected, the pavement has been broken up -and readjusted so
as to surround the newly inserted steps or stones with some
appearance of symmetry; portions of it either covered or
carried away, others mercilessly shattered or replaced by
modern imitations, and those of very different periods, with
pieces of the old floor left here and there in the midst of them,
and worked round so as to deceive the eye into acceptance
of the whole as ancient. The portion, however, which occur
pies the western extremity of the nave, and the parts immediately adjoining it in the aisles, are, I believe, in their original
positions, and very little injured: they are composed chiefly of
groups of peacocks, lions, stags, and griffins,—two of each in
a group, drinking out of the same vase, or shaking claws
together,—enclosed by interlacing bands, and alternating with
chequer or star patterns, and here and there an attempt at
representation of architecture, all worked in marble mosaic.
The floors of Torcello and of St. Mark's are executed in the
same manner; but what remains at Murano is finer than either,
in the extraordinary play of color obtained by the use of variegated marbles. At St. Mark's the patterns are more intricate,
and the pieces far more skilfully set together; but each piece
is there commonly of one color: at Murano every fragment is
itself variegated, and all are arranged with a skill and feeling
not to be taught, and to be observed with deep reverence, for
that pavement is not dateless, like the rest of the church ; it
bears its date on one of its central circles, 1140, and is, in my
mind, one of the most precious monuments in Italy, showing
thus early, and in those rude chequers which the bared knee of
| Title | The stones of Venice - 2 |
| Creator | Ruskin, John |
| Publisher | J. Wiley |
| Place of Publication | New York |
| Date | 1889 |
| Language | eng |
| Type | Books/Pamphlets |
| Title | 00000072 |
| Type | Books/Pamphlets |
| Transcript | 52 FIRST PERIOD. tain of new red velvet with a gilt edge and two golden tassels, held up in a dainty manner by two angels in the upholsterer's service; and above all, for concentration of effect, a star or sun, some five feet broad, the spikes of which conceal the whole of the figure of the Madonna except the head and hands. § xxxvn. The pavement is however still left open, and it is of infinite interest, although grievously distorted and defaced. For whenever a new chapel has been built, or a new altar erected, the pavement has been broken up -and readjusted so as to surround the newly inserted steps or stones with some appearance of symmetry; portions of it either covered or carried away, others mercilessly shattered or replaced by modern imitations, and those of very different periods, with pieces of the old floor left here and there in the midst of them, and worked round so as to deceive the eye into acceptance of the whole as ancient. The portion, however, which occur pies the western extremity of the nave, and the parts immediately adjoining it in the aisles, are, I believe, in their original positions, and very little injured: they are composed chiefly of groups of peacocks, lions, stags, and griffins,—two of each in a group, drinking out of the same vase, or shaking claws together,—enclosed by interlacing bands, and alternating with chequer or star patterns, and here and there an attempt at representation of architecture, all worked in marble mosaic. The floors of Torcello and of St. Mark's are executed in the same manner; but what remains at Murano is finer than either, in the extraordinary play of color obtained by the use of variegated marbles. At St. Mark's the patterns are more intricate, and the pieces far more skilfully set together; but each piece is there commonly of one color: at Murano every fragment is itself variegated, and all are arranged with a skill and feeling not to be taught, and to be observed with deep reverence, for that pavement is not dateless, like the rest of the church ; it bears its date on one of its central circles, 1140, and is, in my mind, one of the most precious monuments in Italy, showing thus early, and in those rude chequers which the bared knee of |
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