ANTONIO CANALETTO-Luxury gondolas for celebrations

[Anatol]

Тhe gondola of dignitaries of Venice is depicted, for celebrations on the mini sheet of the Government of Sharjah with the inscription: “First gondola of His Excellency Mons’ Amelot Amb du Roi to the most serene Republic of Venice in 1682”
The feast of the Most Serene Republic of Venice was the Ascension Day in which the Doge made the wedding with the sea. Another important feast was of the Redeemer. All the Senate, the Ambassadors, the nobles, the Union Trades and all the people took part in the ceremony. The highest social positions had the gondola, with fancy decorations, and the colours of the home. The stern curl was embellished with many flowers and other decorative elements.The cabin was supported by four large figures, representing Valour, Wealth, Wisdom, and Fortune. The top was covered with a rich gold brocade, gold leaves and other decorations.
The ceremonial ranking required that the Doge had the most gilded and showiest gondola (see fragment 1) as shown by Canaletto in 1738 in the painting: "Return of the Bucentaur to the pier at the Doge's Palace." As four gilded gondolas (see fragment 2)are in front to a gilded Bucentaur boat, they are hardly distinguishable in the original painting; therefore, the front gondola has been highlighted by fading the colours around it.
Of course, the higher the social status, the more elegantly the gondola was decorated, with bright colors and gilded statues; the prince-ambassador's gondola was more spectacular than the count-ambassador's gondola.
However, the Doge and the members of the Senate had to pay too much to keep their own gondolas at top luxury level, so that they decided to abolish distinctions and everybody had to return to the simple gondola. Starting from 1562, the Senate forbade cabins gilded, painted or carved, and recommended a uniform style, all with the natural black colour of the pitch used to waterproof the hull. Only the Doge, noblemen and ambassadors could have gondolas with bigger size, decorations, gilded parts, and the colour of the family arms. The cabin had side windows to see and to be seen, or to keep closed. This basic directive was not fully respected. This was obvious in 1574, with sumptuous gondolas for the celebration of King Henry III. Therefore, sumptuary decrees were repeated several times to return to the standard model, without differences in size, decorations and colour, without rank distinctions or privileges.
Government of Sharjah 1969; 5Rls.
Source: https://journals.openedition.org/medite ... ocfrom2n15.