265			215
                                                                      
                                                                                  	         ST MARKS  NICHES
                                                                      	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 and good - under these niches are
                                                                      some of the vilest modern statues conceivable - used
                                                                      as gutters for the roof - having nuns or waterspots
                                                                      on t[h]heir 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 scul[,]pture
                                                                      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 awk-
                                                                      wardly 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 andutterly 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]