316 THE STONES OF VENICE

their order, noting such parallel representations as I remember in other work.

§ 51. There are four successive archivolts, one within the other, forming the great central entrance of St. Mark’s. The first is a magnificent external arch, formed of obscure figures mingled among masses of leafage, as in ordinary Byzantine work; within this there is a hemispherical dome, covered with modern mosaic; and at the back of this recess the other three archivolts follow consecutively, two sculptured, one plain; the one with which we are concerned is the outermost.¹

It is carved both on its front and under surface or soffit; on the front are seventeen female figures bearing scrolls, from which the legends are unfortunately effaced.² These figures were once gilded on a dark blue ground, as may still be seen in Gentile Bellini’s picture of St. Mark’s in the Accademia delle Belle Arti. The sculptures of the months are on the under-surface, beginning at the bottom on the left hand of the spectator as he enters, and following in succession round the archivolt; separated, however, into two groups, at its centre, by a beautiful figure of the youthful Christ, sitting in the midst of a slightly hollowed sphere covered with stars to represent the firmament, and with

¹ [The position of the archivolts will be better understood by reference to the picture of the west front (Plate C, opposite p. 82). The three sculptured archivolts (in all of which a figure of Christ forms the keystone) are as follow:-

(1) The first, or lowest, represents Christ as the Redeemer. On the under side, or soffit, are various representations of wild human life; on the outer face, of life civilized and redeemed. This archivolt is described in Dr. Robertson’s Bible of St. Mark, pp. 31-34; and is briefly referred to by Ruskin in St. Mark’s Rest, § 105.

(2) The second archivolt shows on its under side the months, here described; on its outer face the Beatitudes and Virtues, described in St. Mark’s Rest, § 105 (compare Bible of St. Mark, pp. 35-40).

(3) The third, or outermost, archivolt shows on its under side the trades of Venice, described in St. Mark’s Rest, §§ 102, 103 (compare Bible of St. Mark, pp. 77-91); on its outer face the prophets and wreaths of foliage, described in St. Mark’s Rest, §§ 99, 100 (compare Bible of St. Mark, p. 43). One of “the hollow bales of stones surrounded by flowing leafage” is etched on Plate I. (Fig. 3) in the Seven Lamps (see Vol. VIII. p. 121), and a reproduction of another study by Ruskin from the same archivolt will be found in the volume of this edition containing St. Mark’s Rest.]

² [Enough of the legends, however, has now been deciphered to identify the figures and interpret their meaning; see Bible of St. Mark, 1. c.]

[Version 0.04: March 2008]