PLATE 5

THE DUCAL PALACE

Compartments of the Southern Balcony

THE two balconies on which the large central windows open, in the façades of the Ducal Palace, are interesting examples of the degradation of the Venetian Gothic by the Renaissance infection.¹ That to the sea is peculiarly fine in workmanship; and both deserve study, as belonging to a very limited group of ridge traceries, of which I recollect only one other example in Venice,-the balustrade of the passage into the small chapel on the south side of the choir, in St. Mark’s. For this reason, as well as on account of the importance of the southern balcony in the general effect of the Ducal Palace, I have here given the details of that balcony with care. Fig. 1 represents the inside, Fig. 2 the outside of one of the compartments, of which six form the entire length of the parapet. These figures are one-seventh of the real size;² the complete mouldings are only represented in the upper divisions; both the upper and lower being exactly the same. The inside view (Fig. 1) is given, both because there is a difference in the mouldings, and to show the joints of the masonry, the two quatrefoils, below and above, being cut out of one piece of red marble; the other pieces are of the purest white Carrara. Fig. 3 is one of the quatrefoils, drawn of the actual size, in order to show the peculiar elliptical character of the curvatures in the foils. This curve I traced on the stonework itself, in order to make sure of its accuracy. The sections are given in the following Plate.

¹ [See on this subject Vol. X. p. 286, and Fig. 25; and for further notices of the Ducal Palace balconies, ibid., pp. 335, 346.]

² [The scale is in this edition reduced from 17¾ x 11¾ to 6½ x 4³/8.]

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[Version 0.04: March 2008]