Ca’ Pesaro

Found on the Grand Canal, not far from the vaporetto stop San Stae, is Ca’ Pesaro, a project of the Venetian architect Baldassarre Longhena. It  was built in the second half of the 17th century, for the Pesaro family. It now houses the  Gallery of Modern Art, and is one of the museums included on the very reasonably priced combined museums pass.

No photos are allowed within the museum, but the courtyard and canal views were worth recording. (And, if you like modern art, you won’t be disappointed.)

The courtyard with its pavement, a central vera da pozzo, and two other well heads set against a wall: 

The view across the canal, looking towards Cannaregio:

Down a little calle in Dorsoduro

You never know what treasures you’ll find peeking back at you.

This isn’t far from Chiesa Salute, heading back towards the Accademia Bridge.

It seems that some little bird has found a place to build a nest

This is not from Venice, but from Vancouver Island, Canada.

Thank you, Rick

Cannaregio, 1445/B

Look what you find when you turn down into this calle. Do you think perhaps an artist lives here?

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Artisans still exist

There are still skilled craftsmen and artisans working in Venice, and I met two of them in one day.

The first is a  fabbro ferraio (favro in Venetian, it seems), that is, a worker in iron, a blacksmith. I noticed his shop in a narrow calle in Castello because of his window display.

Models of Rialto Bridge and San Marco

Further examples of the work he does

 The favro is Primo Bollani, and this is his cramped workshop.

Primo Bollani, (blacksmith) Castello, 5567

I really plead with you to look at his website, to gain some appreciation of what he has done, and is trying to achieve.

www.elferonovo.com       http://www.elferonovo.com/uk/indexuk.htm  (English version)

I crossed the Rialto Bridge to do some wandering in San Polo, and met another delightful, unassuming artist, Giovanni Vio. He has a tiny shop outlet on Calle de la Madoneta, 1459 to display some of the many ceramic and terracotta items he has made, and offers for sale.

My modest purchase

Giovanni has a studio on the Lido, where he does his work, and also gives lessons to those wanting to learn this art form. He also does restoration work, a skill learned from his father and grandfather.

He is the grandson of Romano Vio, a Venetian sculptor born 100 years ago. A tribute to him is currently on in Venice, until 26 aprile.

Again, I urge you to have a look at Giovanni’s website (also available in English).   www.vioartfactory.com

These two hard-working talented men (and others like them) deserve more attention (and customers); please help keep their art alive!

Why do we love Venice?

One of the reasons might be that as you walk along a residential calle, you’ll see works of art such as these, just up there, on the walls.

Ateneo Veneto – Scuola di San Fantin (Thank you, Bert, and mystery helper)

San Giovanni Elemosinario (Thank you, Bert and your mystery helper)

Castello, Calle Sacca, 3182A (Thank you, Bert and the mystery helper)

La Fenice

Private treasure

I went to visit a friend who lives in Cannaregio, near the Fondamente Nove. As I toiled up the stairs to their apartment, I came face to face with this image at one of the landings. They take it for granted, as they see it every day.

I wonder how old it is? Who painted it? Who commissioned it? I wonder how many other such treasures are to be found in ‘ordinary’ homes in Venice?

Breaking news: Atherton has been bombed!

I don’t know when it happened, or who did it. The local newspaper has not mentioned it, nor has it been on local radio or TV. I am quite impressed with how calm the populace has been!

Well, it had to happen sometime, even in this small town. Guerrilla activity has made its way to this peaceful place.

Here are some of the first published photos of this shocking event.

Yes, Atherton has been “Yarn Bombed”

And, it happened right on our bustling main Street!

They’ve trapped a Tree Frog!

Hang on, Kermit

Now, this kind of graffiti I can live with.

If you want to read more about this fun form of “bombing”, here is a link to an article and some photos. Now, where did I put my knitting needles?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yarn_bombing

Move over, Canova!

An art lover of my acquaintance rhapsodises over the beautiful bottoms that Antonio Canova created in his sculptures. I have to agree with his judgment.

In Dorsoduro, I noticed this bricked in archway or portal.

When I went closer, here is what I saw. I think Canova would be proud to claim that as his work!

To read about a convert to Canova, follow this link.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/jonathanjonesblog/2010/aug/24/antonio-canova-sculptures

(I didn’t know he had done a nude statue of Napoleon!)

Or, have a look at this blog site, for his Three Graces.

http://adrift-anythinggoes.blogspot.com.au/

Buongiorno!

I’m going to start this post with a fun photo. These fellows were from Paris, and agreed I could take their photo. Then, I explained what it was they were sitting on. They moved.

We're sitting on a what!?

There’s a film crew in town, doing a movie on some part of Ruskin’s life. Emma Thompson, Derek Jacobi and Julie Walters are among the British cast. This lovely old boat (a San Pierota) was sailing about near the Palazzo Grassi. Fausto told me it was being filmed for the movie.

This morning, I headed for a new destination. The following photos give you a taste of what I saw. I have to do some research, to be able to tell you more of the history of this place. Can any of you venture a guess as to where I was?

It has tall buildings, and cars.

It has water.

And cats.

And even some modern art.

I do hope I can find some information about place “X”, or I might have to make up some good stories!

Till tomorrow ….

Perspective

Perspective (from Latin perspicere, to see through)

As I walked past an apartment building, I idly glanced at the ‘decoration’ along one side, and the front.

It looked like this:

 

“Kinda neat, nothing special”, I thought.

Thank goodness I happened to turn around and see them from a different point of view!