Night on the Town in Venice - Titian's Assumption - Dogma & Poetry

Assumption of Mary by Titian (detail)

(Venice, Italy) Nowhere else on the planet can a big night out on the town include a lecture by a top scholar about one of the world's greatest masterpieces in front of one of the world's greatest masterpieces inside one of the world's greatest churches, followed by music written by one of the world's greatest composers. Last night, Giandomenico Romanelli, who was the Director of the Civic Museums in Venice, gave a talk entitled Titian's Assumption - Dogma and Poetry inside the majestic Frari to an audience of mostly local residents. After the lecture, Interpreti Veneziani, a group of local musicians played the music of local resident (now deceased) Antonio Vivaldi's Concerto per 4 violini, violoncello, archi e cembalo op. 3 n. 10 Estro Armonico for an enthusiatic crowd in front of local artist (now deceased) Tiziano Vecellio's painting Assumption of Mary. Sure, you can hear a lecture like that in other venues, but not right in front of the painting itself! And not inside the very church where it belongs!

How amazing is that?! Here in Venice, you can just walk out the door, take a little stroll and experience such an awesome spectacular, performed by local talent, surrounded by your neighbors -- FOR FREE.

From the Metropolitan Museum of Art:

Titian's first major public commission in Venice, the Assumption of the Virgin for the high altar of Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari (1516–18), established his place as the leading painter of the city. Contemporaries noted that some viewers were uneasy with its novel portrayal of the dynamically twisting Virgin and the gesticulating apostles below. It broke with tradition as well in the heroic scale of the figures and the use of bold color. The Assumption can be seen from the far end of the church, drawing the eye to the sacred space of the altar.

Tomorrow is August 15th, Mary's heavenly birthday -- the day she ascended into Heaven -- which makes her a Leo, ruled by the Sun. I wrote about the Holy Day and national holiday last year, in 2011, and four years ago, in 2008, so this year we will have a re-run:)

The Assumption of Mary - The Divine Female

The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, August 15, is one of my favorite holidays here in Italy. It is when Mary ascended into Heaven, body and soul. I went to Mass at the Basilica this morning in the company of a German woman whose father is Catholic and mother is Lutheran. She remarked that the Catholic religion is one of the few where female divinity is worshipped along with the male image of God.

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Ciao from Venezia,

Cat

Venetian Cat - The Venice Blog