APPENDIX, 11 301

§ 10. Simon Dandolo (A.D. 1360: Frari)¹

High up-some thirty feet above the head-on the western wall of the Frari, at the end of the north aisle, is a sarcophagus removed from its place in one of the chapels in order to make room for the “monument to Titian.”

It can just be seen, at its present distance, that the two statues at the angles are beautiful, and that it bears an inscription on its basic plinth. As access to it cannot be had without considerable trouble, the reader will be glad to have an account of it. It is sustained by two bold brackets (having the gabled dentil moulding in front) bearing the Dandolo shield-six fleur-delis. The profile of its basic plinth [reference to an intended plate] is highly curious-two archivolt mouldings chasing each other like the traceries of a flamboyant window. But the inscription, which is engraved on the flat front of the plinth, is still more curious; perhaps it was some doctor, jealous of the honour of Venetian Latinity, who contrived the placing of the sarcophagus where the legend could not be read. We may be thankful it was not effaced [the inscription as in the text above, p. 97].* A notable writing, both in its manner of expression, and as the earliest (to my knowledge) eulogistic epitaph in Venice. I presume we may consider its meaning to be as follows:-

“The tomb of Simon Dandolo, a lover of justice, and desirous of promoting the public good....”

The sarcophagus has a Madonna in the centre, and the two Annunciation figures at the sides, the panels between being square, and of plain porphyry; but the panel moulding is of a new form [reference to intended plate], having a sharp long dogtooth above the cavetto, and its roll very shallow. The flower plinth at the top of the sarcophagus [similar reference] is very unusual in the arrangement of its upper fillet, perhaps it was once surmounted by a dentil. Its leafage and roses are as nearly as possible the same as those of Marco Giustiniani, fine in their flow, but broad and coarsely cut.

The great interest of the tomb is in its figures. Even from below the spectator can see that those of the Annunciation group are exceedingly beautiful; and in some respects they do not gain by being seen close, having been probably, as well as the leaf plinth, calculated for an elevation of seven or eight feet above the eye, and all the features left coarse in consequence. But the drapery of the Annunziata cannot be judged of at thirty feet distances, for it is singular in having the light edges of various folds of the drapery traced one above another so as almost to chequer the front of the figure, and to give an exquisite delicacy to masses otherwise sufficiently simple. The drapery of the enthroned Madonna in the centre is so far inferior, and her face-as well as that of the child-utterly hard and lifeless

* It is curious that in extant works on Venice it is actually impossible to find, I do not say a moulding or ornament, but even so much as an inscription, copied with perfect accuracy. Zanotto, for instance, who has given this legend, has taken away half its roundness by spelling the Justisia with a “t” (Justitia), and Chomum with an “n” (Chomun), and in his drawing of the tomb puts two angels instead of four.

¹ [For a brief notice of this tomb, and the text of the Latin inscription, see above, ch. ii. § 64, p. 97.]

[Version 0.04: March 2008]