The Stones of Venice, Volume 3 (of 3)

Name: The Stones of Venice, Volume 3 (of 3)
Author: Ruskin, John

Ruskin, John

Architecture -- Italy -- Venice

The principal points we have to notice are the similarity and simplicity
of the Byzantine bases in general, and the distinction between those of
Torcello and Murano, and of St. Mark's, as tending to prove the early
dates attributed in the text to the island churches. I have sufficiently
illustrated the forms of the Gothic bases in Plates X., XI., and XIII.
of the first volume, so that I here note chiefly the Byzantine or
Romanesque ones, adding two Gothic forms for the sake of comparison.

The most characteristic examples, then, are collected in Plate V.
opposite; namely:

            1, 2, 3, 4. In the upper gallery of apse of Murano.
            5. Lower shafts of apse. Murano.
            6. Casa Falier.
            7. Small shafts of panels. Casa Farsetti.
            8. Great shafts and plinth. Casa Farsetti.
            9. Great lower shafts. Fondaco de' Turchi.
           10. Ducal Palace, upper arcade.
 PLATE V.  11. General late Gothic form.
 Vol. III. 12. Tomb of Dogaressa Vital Michele, in St. Mark's atrium.
           13. Upper arcade of Madonnetta House.
           14. Rio-Foscari House.
           15. Upper arcade. Terraced House.
           16, 17, 18. Nave. Torcello.
           19, 20. Transepts. St. Mark's.
           21. Nave. St. Mark's.
           22. External pillars of northern portico. St. Mark's.
           23, 24. Clustered pillars of northern portico. St. Mark's.
           25, 26. Clustered pillars of southern portico. St. Mark's.

Now, observe, first, the enormous difference in style between the bases
1 to 5, and the rest in the upper row, that is to say, between the bases
of Murano and the twelfth and thirteenth century bases of Venice; and,
secondly, the difference between the bases 16 to 20 and the rest in the
lower row, that is to say, between the bases of Torcello (with those of
St. Mark's which belong to the nave, and which may therefore be supposed
to be part of the earlier church), and the later ones of the St. Mark's
Façade.

Secondly: Note the fellowship between 5 and 6, one of the evidences of
the early date of the Casa Falier.

Thirdly: Observe the slurring of the upper roll into the cavetto, in 13,
14, and 15, and the consequent relationship established between three
most important buildings, the Rio-Foscari House, Terraced House, and
Madonnetta House.

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

Opening the text

The Stones of Venice, Volume 3 (of 3)Ruskin, John

Philosophy

The Stones of Venice, Volume 3 (of 3)

Ruskin, John

Architecture -- Italy -- Venice

The principal points we have to notice are the similarity and simplicity
of the Byzantine bases in general, and the distinction between those of
Torcello and Murano, and of St. Mark's, as tending to prove the early
dates attributed in the text to the island churches. I have sufficiently
illustrated the forms of the Gothic bases in Plates X., XI., and XIII.
of the first volume, so that I here note chiefly the Byzantine or
Romanesque ones, adding two Gothic forms for the sake of comparison.

The most characteristic examples, then, are collected in Plate V.
opposite; namely:

            1, 2, 3, 4. In the upper gallery of apse of Murano.
            5. Lower shafts of apse. Murano.
            6. Casa Falier.
            7. Small shafts of panels. Casa Farsetti.
            8. Great shafts and plinth. Casa Farsetti.
            9. Great lower shafts. Fondaco de' Turchi.
           10. Ducal Palace, upper arcade.
 PLATE V.  11. General late Gothic form.
 Vol. III. 12. Tomb of Dogaressa Vital Michele, in St. Mark's atrium.
           13. Upper arcade of Madonnetta House.
           14. Rio-Foscari House.
           15. Upper arcade. Terraced House.
           16, 17, 18. Nave. Torcello.
           19, 20. Transepts. St. Mark's.
           21. Nave. St. Mark's.
           22. External pillars of northern portico. St. Mark's.
           23, 24. Clustered pillars of northern portico. St. Mark's.
           25, 26. Clustered pillars of southern portico. St. Mark's.

Now, observe, first, the enormous difference in style between the bases
1 to 5, and the rest in the upper row, that is to say, between the bases
of Murano and the twelfth and thirteenth century bases of Venice; and,
secondly, the difference between the bases 16 to 20 and the rest in the
lower row, that is to say, between the bases of Torcello (with those of
St. Mark's which belong to the nave, and which may therefore be supposed
to be part of the earlier church), and the later ones of the St. Mark's
Façade.

Secondly: Note the fellowship between 5 and 6, one of the evidences of
the early date of the Casa Falier.

Thirdly: Observe the slurring of the upper roll into the cavetto, in 13,
14, and 15, and the consequent relationship established between three
most important buildings, the Rio-Foscari House, Terraced House, and
Madonnetta House.

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

The Stones of Venice, Volume 3 (of 3)

The Stones of Venice, Volume 3 (of 3)

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