Architecture in Italy, from the sixth to the eleventh century; historical and critical researches . r to have been sculptured in the time ofOrseolo. The two largest are those of the columns now in thepresbytery wdiere the apsidal curve begins ; the other two, muchsmaller, are seen under the Gothic tabernacle at the south-eastangle of the meridional facade of the basilica. They are em-bellished by one or two rows of wild acanthus leaves, rolled upand folded one over the other as if beaten l)y the wind ; a mostelegant conceit, which is visil)le in Byzantine architecture asearly as the fifth cent
Architecture in Italy, from the sixth to the eleventh century; historical and critical researches . r to have been sculptured in the time ofOrseolo. The two largest are those of the columns now in thepresbytery wdiere the apsidal curve begins ; the other two, muchsmaller, are seen under the Gothic tabernacle at the south-eastangle of the meridional facade of the basilica. They are em-bellished by one or two rows of wild acanthus leaves, rolled upand folded one over the other as if beaten l)y the wind ; a mostelegant conceit, which is visil)le in Byzantine architecture asearly as the fifth century,as certain capitals ofSyria, and others ofThessalonica or ofRavenna, bear witness,besides many that arevisible in S. MarksChurch itself at thesides of the principaldoor. I said above thatthere were sculptures inS. Marks that pro-claimed themselvesworks of the Orseolobasilica. Such is thearchitectonic decoration that forms the base of the chancelsof the present presbytery, and corresponds with the elevation of v,/i , .-?-;iiiOTwBiiii.:f>/^iO^?r^riilillliiiiit^^,v ii),i;:.,:.«Ay»:. Fig. —Little Arcades forming the Base of theChoir of S. Marks— 976. 319 the cnpt on the iiavemeiit of the naves. It is not a collectionof fragments nor an ensemhle of stones of various forms, such asmight make one suppose ones self in the presence of a composi-tion of remnants of marhle collected and imported here ; but along series of arches of uniform measure, supported by regularcolumns provided with base and capital; in fact, a work thatmust have been executed on purpose for our church. But at thesame time their style, too perfect to be assigned to the ninthcentury, and the presence of many other of those little arches,})laced as old, nnitilated, and incongruous, under the staircase ofthe present anibo, are arguments that, while they exclude thel)ossibility that they were made for the Partecipazi church, or forthe restoration of the eleventh century, are sufficient to per
Size: 1673px × 1494px
Photo credit: © The Reading Room / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, booksubjectarchitecture, bookyea
