The Brochure Series of Architectural Illustration, Vol. 1, 1895 | Page 3

the same
extent as that below, but with loftier roofs, of heavy rafters gilded or
painted. The fourth floor is of the same arrangement, but has a lower
roof, and was devoted to the better class of servants. Of the two stories
used by the family, the third is the loftier and airier, and was occupied
in summer; the second was the winter apartment. On either hand the
rooms open in suites. The courtyard at the rear usually had a well in its
centre with an ornamental curb; and access to the upper floors of the
house was gained by an exterior staircase in the court, which was often
elaborately enriched with carved ornament.
The materials used in construction are mostly red and white marbles,
used with a fine color sense, and the desire for abundance of color was
frequently further gratified by painting the exterior walls with elaborate
pictorial decorations.
[Illustration: II. The Palazzo Contarini Fasan, Venice.]
The earliest palaces are Byzantine, but with the growth of the Gothic
movement these were gradually superseded, although the Gothic
influence worked more slowly here than on the mainland. The richest
and most elaborate work was built at this period. Finally the
Renaissance took the place of Gothic; and the later palaces, built in this
style, show strongly the debased condition into which the art of Venice
fell in the Dark Ages.
We have selected for the illustrations of this number of the

BROCHURE SERIES some of the most widely known examples of the
fifteenth-century Gothic palaces, built at the time when Venice was at
the zenith of prosperity as the principal commercial power of the world.

I.
SOUTHWEST ANGLE OF THE DUCAL PALACE, VENICE.
Although the Ducal Palace is much larger than the other palaces of
Venice, and intended for general civic uses as well as a residence for
the Duke or Doge, it follows closely the type already described. It has
undergone so many changes since its first foundation in about the year
800 (813 according to Ruskin), having been destroyed five times, and
as often re-erected in grander style, besides having been added to and
the dilapidated portions restored, that it is impossible to assign a
comprehensive date to cover the building of the present structure. In
fact, the earliest portion was gradually added to, carrying it further and
further around the quadrangle until it reached the point of beginning,
when this process was repeated, partially replacing the older Byzantine
work with Gothic and then with Renaissance, the present building still
having examples of all three styles.
The portion shown in our illustration is said to have been erected
between the years 1424 and 1442, by Giovanni Buon and his sons
Pantaleone and Bartolommeo Buon the elder; although Mr. Ruskin
states that in 1423 the Grand Council sat in the Great Council Chamber
for the first time, and in that year the Gothic Ducal Palace of Venice
was completed.
This angle, which faces the Piazetta and the Riva, is called by Mr.
Ruskin the "Fig-Tree Angle," because of the group of sculpture
representing the fall of man. The figure above the angle capital of the
upper arcade is that of Gabriel. The richly decorated capitals of the
lower arcade represent personifications of the Virtues and Vices, the
favorite subjects of decorative art, at this period, in all the cities of Italy.
The capitals of the upper arcade, no two of which are alike, are also
richly wrought with figure sculpture, the one on the angle containing
representations of the four winds.
The arrangement of the tracery above the upper arcade is worthy of
note as the placing of the quatrefoils between the arches, which is
characteristic of earlier examples, is more reasonable, from a

constructive point of view, than the later practice of placing them above
the centres of the arches.
The use of the rope moulding as a decorative finish for the angle of a
building is also characteristic of the palace architecture of Venice, and
may here be seen most effectively applied.

II.
THE PALAZZO CONTARINI FASAN, VENICE.
This is one of the most notable examples of domestic Gothic
architecture in Venice, and dates from the fifteenth century. Ruskin
refers to it as follows: "In one respect, however, it deserves to be
regarded with attention, as showing how much beauty and dignity may
be bestowed on a very small and unimportant dwelling-house by
Gothic sculpture. Foolish criticisms upon it have appeared in English
accounts of foreign buildings, objecting to it on the ground of its being
'ill proportioned'; the simple fact being that there was no room in this
part of the canal for a wider house, and that its builder made its rooms
as comfortable as he could, and its windows and balconies of a
convenient