User:Hincmc/Miracle of the Cross at the Bridge of S. Lorenzo

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Description[edit]
The work portrays a miracle which took place during one of the yearly processions of the True Cross of the Scuola. The relic fell in the water: it subsequently escaped all the attempts of people to catch it, aside from that of Andrea Vendramin, the Gran Guardiano ("Grand Guardian") of the school.

The painting shows a meticulous depiction of the canale and the bridge near which the reported miracle occurred, and of a number of people who assist to it. The recognizable characters include Caterina Cornaro, queen of Cyprus. Some suppose she is among the kneeling women on the left; however, Catherine Cornaro is the first woman on the left (standing, with a girl to her left). She is praying. The group of gentlemen is perhaps that of Bellini's family, including his self-portrait and that of his brother Giovanni.

At the centre is the Bridge of San Lorenzo ("St. Lawrence Bridge"), full of people who are looking at the event. The fondamente (the roads which flank the Venetian channels) are also crowded, with some people coming on gondolas. Some people have dived and a woman, on the right, is pushing her moorish slave to do the same: however, Andrea Vendramin has already grabbed the relic and is carrying it to the shore.

There is one black figure in the center of the work looking to jump into the water. Many black africans in venice originated from the west coast of Africa, and were known to be strong swimmers. It is unclear if many Venetians knew how to swim during this period.

The buildings are painted with accurate colors, although with no geometrical perspective. Some of them feature the typical inverted cone chimneys of medieval Venice.