| |
In conformity with its official function in overlooking the square the
content of the west façade is predominantly a frontispiece to the text
that is amplified in the mosaics of the interior.
A frontispiece which is not only a summary of the contents but which ratifies
claims, invokes protection, insists on possession of St. Mark's relics,
speaks of triumph, rule and riches, which admonishes observance of the
ethical-religious virtues (personifications of the virtues) and the ideals
and regulations of civil coexistence (representations of months and trades).
The main central piece is the Last Judgement whose terrible severity is
mitigated by the hint of redemption in the Passion, Death and Resurrection
of Christ in the lunettes at the sides. The History of the Relics of St.
Mark, the Mysteries of the Life of Christ and the Last Judgement are mosaics,
the other parts of the plan being sculptural cycles.
The façade is divided into two orders by the terrace overlooking a copy
of the quadriga of St. Mark, now housed in St. Mark's Museum.
Each of the two orders has five great arches which in the lower part correspond
to the four entrances to the atrium (from the left St. Alipius' Gate,
St. Peter's Gate, The Main Portal, St. Clement's Gate) and the window
of the Zen chapel.
The 13th century marble facing includes several sculpted Byzantine slabs
which should be seen as companion pieces on the two sides of the main
portal which features two warrior saints. St. George and St. Demetrius,
in the fight against evil. The next piece to the right with the Archangel
Gabriel combines with the Virgin on the left to form the Annunciation,
which alludes to the legendary founding of Venice on 25th March 421 (Annunciation
Day). Lastly, the two portrayals of the Labours of Hercules at the ends
of the façade are an example of how pagan themes, in the Middle Ages,
were transformed into Christian terms: the mythological tale of Hercules,
victorious over animal strength, became an allegory of Christian salvation.
Hercules with the Boar of Erymanthus, the Angel Gabriel and St. Demetrius
are Byzantine imports of the 5th, 12th and 11th centuries while the other
reliefs are 13th century Venetian works.
The second group of works on the west façade is also specifically Venetian
and consists of reliefs of which half are ornamental and half figurative,
framing the four lateral portals. Here the bas-relief, itself deriving
from Byzantine forms, is associated with the background in gilded mosaic,
but the content of this cornice does not seem to have great significance,
especially now that the words on the Prophets' scrolls are only minimally
legible. In particular the reliefs of Angels' heads on the right portals
give the effect of purely ornamental fillers.
The sculptures of the three arch undersides that border the main portal,
should be considered as a nucleus in themselves, a masterpiecec of 13th
century Venetian artists trained in the Byzantine school and gradually
coming under western influence from the Po Valley and France.
This decoration preserves some remains of a former façade of the 11th
or early 12th century, isolated pieces that seem almost lost or forgotten,
while others have achieved a new iconographic value, such as the Dream
of St. Mark which originally depicted the Dream of Joseph on the Eve of
the Flight to Egypt. It was transferred to its present place at the end
of the 19th century, thus taking on a new meaning and central importance
as a representation of the dream in which St. Mark learnt from an angel
that his relics would one day be housed in Venice.
Over and above the elements inherited from the older façade there are
plundered pieces integrated into the 13th century decorative plan which
go so well with the works sculpted for the west façade that they almost
seem no longer extraneous.
The 'ornamental trophies' make up a small part of the sculptural decoration,
one of the most significant pieces being the porphyry head of a Byzantine
emperor, later held to be the head of Carmagnola.
|
|
