It was a rainy day in Venice, with an acqua alta this morning. This latter event brought out all the vendors of temporary waterproof footwear. Temporary in the sense that they may not endure very long.
It was a good day to go to one of the many excellent museums that Venice boasts. I chose the Ca’ Rezzonico which faces onto the Grand canal.
Look at this gorgeous little fellow who greets you as you enter the museum.
He has such plump little knees. Maybe he was brought up on fritelle?
Near the end of the visit, this bust stopped me in my tracks. How in the world do you achieve this with a lump of marble and some hand tools?
My fritella of choice today was con crema (with cream). It has crept into number 2 spot, after zabaione, and before venexiana and ricotta.
Hello World 
I remember this, it is quite astonishing. It made me think of the Medardo Rosso wax/plaster sculpture Ecce Puer(http://www.medardorosso.org/index_Tabs_EN.html). When I went online to find a pic, I came across Barbara’s blog about the same thing (https://barbarapyett.wordpress.com/2015/01/14/amazing-carvings-made-from-marble/) with many more amazing veil sculptures, the skill is beyond belief.
LikeLiked by 1 person
A writer AND a sculptor, Hilary! You’re a quietly talented person.
LikeLike
Um, a jack of all trades, really, so no skill ever developed fully enough, but I’ve had a lot of fun along the way.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m still trying to work out how they used my knees for the inspiration of that statue!
LikeLiked by 1 person
And, so many years ago!
LikeLiked by 1 person
And I absolutely refuse to do a selfie of my knees to prove it!
LikeLike
What a lovely playground you have surrounding you!
Linda
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’ve got that right, Linda.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I enjoy seeing sculptures like this. They always look like they’re about to get up and walkaway. That cherub is a little chubster isn’t he.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Do you find sculpture more enticing than most paintings, et?
LikeLike
I like good ones equally I think. I love those paintings where the clothing looks so real, like the beautiful works by Renior. I am always so tempted to stroke the velvet and lace.
LikeLike
Amazing veil and chubby knees
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s probably good they weren’t combined in the one sculpture, Derrick. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
🙂
LikeLike
It is beyond my non artistic mind how such sculptures are humanly possible.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Cynthia has commented on the type of marble they used, but it still looks pretty darn demanding, Sue.
LikeLiked by 1 person
These are so beautiful!
Love the cherub-y little fellow!
And the veil on the lady looks like fabric! So amazing!
HUGS!!! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
You really want to put your hand on those chubby knees, and blow on the veil, to see it moves. Hugs to you.
LikeLiked by 1 person
There was a bust with a veil like this in the Corcoran Gallery for a while and it always amazed me. As do the chubby little legs of the cherub. I’m going to make some fried apple pies tomorrow morning. All the fritelle have been making me hungry!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Let’s us know how the fried pies turn out. How big is each pie?
LikeLike
They are small, hand-held pies about fritelle size and made with a biscuit (scone) dough and dried apples…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Slurp
LikeLike
Like all of your posts, you leave me craving more. I may just have to visit.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh, what a good idea, Judy. Try to come around this time of year to avoid crowds.
LikeLike
We have The Veiled Lady here in Charleston, SC as well (at the Gibbes Museum). This link’s picture does not do her justice…she’s exquisite. I shall make a point of visiting YOUR lady next Spring! http://www.gibbesmuseum.org/gibbes_blog/?attachment_id=4259
LikeLiked by 1 person
Your lady is another elegant example. The Ca’ Rezzonico is one of my favourite museums in Venice. It’s in an old palazzo, so you can see how the rich folks used to live at the same time.
LikeLike
That is an amazing sculpture! Really intriguing.
Yes he definitely looks stuffed with fritelli… But I’m beginning to look that way myself!
It’s almost 2am & I’m planning on getting to Tonolo’s before they run out of chocolate in the morning!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
They seem to have added artwork, or displayed it differently, it didn’t seem quite the same as last visit, Linda.
So, you should be on your way to Tonolo about now! I had crema yesterday, zabaione is still #1.
LikeLike
That bust with the veil is totally amazing.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It sure is, John. I can’t remember seeing that last time, or maybe my attention was snagged by something else.
LikeLike
Amazing. Are you sure that veil is really marble?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Isn’t it wonderful?
LikeLike
There are a lot of these veiled sculptures from the “risorgimento” period in Italian art. Supreme craftsmanship coupled with the kind of marble stone that they used…a rare kind, but still available, which had two layers, a transparent layer over a more dense one….that’s how they got the effect of the veil.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Well, as they used to say in Laugh In “I didn’t know that!”
I’m going to go and stare at another example (full size), in a church very near my apartment, today.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You sent me off on a wild Google chase to find out more, Cynthia. I was happy to stumble on this piece: http://viola.bz/lady-under-the-veil/
LikeLiked by 1 person
Isn’t it amazing? I particularly like the Veiled Christ. Can you imagine all those Italian sculptors trying to outdo one another, once the craze for this kind of sculpture began….?
LikeLiked by 1 person
I shall be in Venice in April and will make straight for that museum; nothing like advice from a ‘near local’ of what to do and see in a city. Thank you again. The veiling is exquisite.
LikeLiked by 1 person
The whole museum is a wonder. Just to see what a palazzo was like is an incentive, let alone the art and furnishings. Spare a few hours to savour it! Oh, and find the turtles and huge fish in the entry!
LikeLiked by 1 person
A marvel in marble.
LikeLiked by 1 person
The one at Chatsworth House mentioned in a comment below is here:
LikeLiked by 2 people
Oh, that is exceptionally beautiful, Bruce. Thank you.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I want to say marbleous, but don’t want to lower the tone of our interchange.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Don’t you mean, lower the (s)tone?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Chuckle.
LikeLike
That bust is breathtaking! It truly seems that she is covered with fabric. Incredible.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I couldn’t believe what I was seeing, Eva. It’s like magic.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I can imagine that! It looks almost surreal. This is really a must see for my next trip.
LikeLiked by 1 person
There’s another in San Vidal, near the Accademia Bridge, on the San Marco side.
LikeLike
Really? I almost went to San Vidal for a concert, but then a tour guide of a ghost tour convinced me that Id be better off going to another venue. Well, I guess San Vidal is another must, concert or no. ps: and people ask me why I go to Venice so often – there is no time to see all the treasures at one go. 🙂
LikeLiked by 2 people
That’s for sure, Eva.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Such cute chubby knees on cupid, but hate mine lol !
Love the veiled bust Yvonne, so fascinating. They have one at Chatsworth House in UK, I was amazed by it. When do you leave Venice ?
LikeLiked by 1 person
I loved the knees, but that veil is incredible.
I leave on the morning of 22 January, for 2 weeks in Lucca. I don’t think they’ll have acqua alta or fritelle there!
LikeLike