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                                                                      Renaissances:	The Senola di San Rocco one of the most interesting exam-
                                                                      ples of Renaissance work in Venice;  Its fluted pillars
	Write from top of page to  utterly useless in wet                    are surrounded each by a wreath - one of vine - another 
                                                                      of laurel - another of oak - not indeed arranged with the
                                                                      fantasticism of early Gothic - but especially the Laurel,
                                                                      reminding one strongly of the most beautiful laurel
                                                                      sprays - powerful as well as beautiful of Veronese and
                                                                      Tintoret.  Their stems are curiously and richly inter-
                                                                      laced, the last vestige of the Byzantine wreathed work;
                                                                      and the vine leaves are ribbed on the surfaces, I think
                                                                      nearly as finely as that of the Noah though more injured
                                                                      by time.  The capitals are far the richest renaissance in
                                                                      Venice - and less corrupt, - more masculine in plan and
                                                                      truly suggestive of support - though of course far showing
                                                                      the tendency of error in this respect, and finally at the
                                                                      angles of the pure bases;  on the square plinth are set
                                                                      couchant animals, one an elephant - four inches high,
                                                                      very curiously and cleverly cut;  and all these details
                                                                      worked with a spirit finish fancy and affection - quite 
                                                                      worthy of the middle ages.  But they have all the marked
                                                                      fault of being utterly detached from the architecture;
                                                                      the wreaths round the columns look as if they would drop
                                                                      off the next moment and in spite of their beauty
                                                                      one wishes they would;  the animals

[Version 0.05: May 2008]