[M.215L]                                                              [M.215]	St Mark's Niches.	215
                                                                      
                                                                      		in this period of pure Gothic are to be placed the very
                                                                      		singular {wall} niches between the arches on the north side
                                                                      		which have cabled shafts leaning outwards against
                                                                      		the archivolts;  bending round them;  the niches themselves
                                                                      		curved outwards like a mitre, with a leaf ornament on
                                                                      		each side very pure & good - under these niches are
                                                                      		some of the vilest modern statues conceivable - used
                                                                      		as gutters for the roof - having nuns or waterspots on their
                                                                      		shoulders into which the leaden pipes are carried.
                                                                      		These distorted monstrosities seem to have been put
                                                                      		up in the 18th century.  The great arches and their
                                                                      		first or under finials, are, judging by their leaf sculpture
                                                                      		without doubt of same period as the niches above and below.
                                                                      		But they have been originally without crockets, and have
                                                                      		had plain leaf finials.  the extravagant crocketing -
                                                                      		wildly cut a jour in white marble, is awkwardly pinned
                                                                      		on afterwards - late 15th century of the worst kind, and
                                                                      		the original simple finial is surmounted by a pedestal
                                                                      		with bracket moulding - carrying a late and utterly
                                                                      		vile statue.
                                                                      Four Evangelists.   The house with these valuable windows is at the
                                                                      		Ponte del Forner.  I think the windows have had narrow
                                                                      		central Priuli cusps, now cut away;  their section is C3 with

[Version 0.05: May 2008]