Explanations of some of yesterday’s pictures

This is my former, now retired minister Rupert and his lovely wife Sue by the Vivaldi Statue.

Nine pictures beginning with the top picture being number one. # 3 Basilica di S. Maria della Salute Designed by 20-year-old Longhena, this church is a masterpiece of 17th-century architecture. The dominating feature is its octagonal dome, which contains a lantern showing an image of the Madonna; while the smaller dome has a statue of San Marco. The interior consists of a nave, three chapels and a floor made of multicoloured marble with a design of five roses in the centre. The magnificent altar, also designed by Longhena, is particularly ornate. To its right is Tintoretto's 'Le Nozze di Cana', whilst the ceiling of the vestry is adorned with paintings by Tiziano. #4 Chiesa di S. Giorgio Maggiore The only building on the San Giorgio Maggiore island, this church was built in 1566 AD. It is built inside a Benedictine monastery (that was erected in 1000 AD) in accordance with a plan by Andrea Palladio. The bright interior is covered with paintings by Carpaccio and Tintoretto, such as 'L'ultima Cena' and the 'Raccolta della Manna'. From the bell tower, there is a magnificent view of San Marco. #2 Dogana da Mar Resembling a ship's prow, the historic naval customs point separates the Giudecca and Grand Canals. Perched on top is a sculpture by Bernardo Falcone, two bronze Atlases hoist a golden globe, over which is balanced "La Fortuna," a rotating weathervane. #5 Le Zattere Le Zattere In Italian, the word "zattera" means raft, or barge. This long, bright riva got it's name from the river barges that arrived there, loaded with tree trunks cut from throughout the Veneto. The wood was unloaded along "Le Zattere," and eventually used in everything from ships, buildings, foundations, channel markers and mooring posts, and beyond. Then as exceptional delight to have found out that these pictures I took of this statue was a tribute to Vivaldi. It was here that Antonio Vivaldi (1677-1741), the master of 17th-century Venetian music, composed many of his masterpieces, which were performed by the young women of the adjoining orphanage and hospice. One of my favorites of Vivaldi is his Four Seasons. As a descriptive basis for his Four Seasons, Vivaldi took four Sonnets, apparently written by himself. Each of the four sonnets is expressed in a concerto, which in turn is divided into three phrases or ideas, reflected in the three movements (fast-slow-fast) of each concerto. Vivaldi was employed for most of his working life by the Ospedale della Pietà. Often termed an "orphanage", this Ospedale was in fact a home for the female offspring of noblemen and their numerous dalliances with their mistresses. The Ospedale was thus well endowed by the "anonymous" fathers; its furnishings bordered on the opulent, the young ladies were well looked-after, and the musical standards among the highest in Venice. Most of Vivaldi's concerti were intended for performance with his many talented pupils. He was also deeply involved with opera, both in composition and staging, mainly at Venice's Teatro Sant' Angelo.