The Stones of Venice, Volume 2 (of 3), by John Ruskin

7. EARLY VENETIAN DRESS.

268 words | Chapter 58

Sansovino's account of the changes in the dress of the Venetians is brief, masterly, and full of interest; one or two passages are deserving of careful notice, especially the introductory sentence. "For the Venetians from their first origin, having made it their aim to be peaceful and religious, and to keep on an equality with one another, that equality might induce stability and concord (as disparity produces confusion and ruin), made their dress a matter of conscience, ...; and our ancestors, observant lovers of religion, upon which all their acts were founded, and desiring that their young men should direct themselves to virtue, the true soul of all human action, _and above all to peace_, invented a dress conformable to their gravity, such, that in clothing themselves with it, they might clothe themselves also with modesty and honor. And because their mind was bent upon giving no offence to any one, and living quietly as far as might be permitted them, it seemed good to them to show to every one, even by external signs, this their endeavor, by wearing a long dress, which was in no wise convenient for persons of a quick temperament, or of eager and fierce spirits." Respecting the color of the women's dress, it is noticeable that blue is called "Venetian color" by Cassiodorus, translated "turchino" by Filiasi, vol. v. chap. iv. It was a very pale blue, as the place in which the word occurs is the description by Cassiodorus of the darkness which came over the sun's disk at the time of the Belisarian wars and desolation of the Gothic kingdom.

Chapters

1. Chapter 1 2. CHAPTER I. 3. CHAPTER II. 4. CHAPTER III. 5. CHAPTER IV. 6. CHAPTER V. 7. CHAPTER VI. 8. CHAPTER VII. 9. CHAPTER VIII. 10. 12. Modern Paintings on Glass, 394 11. CHAPTER I. 12. CHAPTER II. 13. CHAPTER III. 14. 1125. The Doge Domenico Michele, having in the second crusade secured 15. 1. a. b. c. b. a. 11. b. a. c. f. a. a. 16. CHAPTER IV. 17. chapter ii. of the "Seven Lamps," § 18, I especially guarded this 18. introduction to his Iconographie Chrétienne, p. 7:--"Un de mes 19. CHAPTER V. 20. 1. Fondaco de' Turehi, lateral 8. St. Mark's. 21. 3. Casa Farsetti, central pillars, 11. Casa Loredan, upper arcade. 22. 7. Casa Loredan, upper arcade. 15. St. Mark's. 23. CHAPTER VI. 24. 6. Redundance. 25. 1. Never encourage the manufacture of any article not absolutely 26. 2. Never demand an exact finish for its own sake, but only for some 27. 3. Never encourage imitation or copying of any kind, except for the sake 28. 1. Never encourage the manufacture of anything not necessary, in the 29. book I have seen which, favoring the Liberal cause in Italy, gives a 30. CHAPTER VII. 31. 6. In domestic architecture, the remains of the original balconies begin 32. 1. JANUARY, _Carrying home a noble tree on his shoulders, the leafage of 33. 2. FEBRUARY. _Sitting in a carved chair, warming his bare feet at a 34. 3. MARCH. Here, as almost always in Italy, _a warrior_: the Mars of the 35. 4. APRIL. Here, _carrying a sheep upon his shoulder_. A rare 36. 5. MAY _is seated, while two young maidens crown him with flowers._ A 37. 6. JUNE. _Reaping._ The corn and sickle sculptured with singular care 38. 7. JULY. _Mowing._ A very interesting piece of sculpture, owing to the 39. 8. AUGUST. Peculiarly represented in this archivolt, _sitting in a 40. 9. SEPTEMBER. _Bearing home grapes in a basket._ Almost always sowing, 41. 10. OCTOBER. _Wearing a conical hat, and digging busily with a long 42. 11. NOVEMBER. _Seems to be catching small birds in a net._ I do not 43. 12. DECEMBER. _Killing swine._ It is hardly ever that this employment is 44. CHAPTER VIII. 45. 1301. Some remnants of the Ziani Palace were perhaps still left between 46. 25. " Frequentatio Companying with saints. 47. 30. " Perseverantia. Perseverance. 48. 7. To Violence and Fraud. 49. 10. Treachery to those who repose entire trust in the traitor. 50. introduction to Intemperance; a graceful and feminine image, necessary 51. 68. Some historians speak of the palace as having been destroyed 52. 1. THE GONDOLIER'S CRY. 53. 2. OUR LADY OF SALVATION. 54. 3. TIDES OF VENICE, AND MEASURES AT TORCELLO. 55. 4. DATE OF THE DUOMO OF TORCELLO. 56. 5. MODERN PULPITS. 57. 6. APSE OF MURANO. 58. 7. EARLY VENETIAN DRESS. 59. 8. INSCRIPTIONS AT MURANO. 60. 9. SHAFTS OF ST. MARK. 61. 10. PROPER SENSE OF THE WORD IDOLATRY. 62. 11. SITUATIONS OF BYZANTINE PALACES. 63. 12. MODERN PAINTING ON GLASS.

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