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From the Observer archive, 21 April 1912: Venice sees its Campanile reborn From the Observer archive, 21 April 1912: Venice sees its Campanile reborn
(5 months later)
Venice is buzzing with excitement over the inauguration of the rebuilt Campanile by the King of Italy next Thursday two days after the opening of the great International Art Exhibition.Venice is buzzing with excitement over the inauguration of the rebuilt Campanile by the King of Italy next Thursday two days after the opening of the great International Art Exhibition.
Only those who witnessed the consternation, the pall of gloom, that fell upon the city when, on 14 July 1902, the mighty tower collapsed, burying among its debris the shattered fragments of Sansovino's precious Loggetta, and – miraculously, it was thought – deposing the crowning gilt bronze angel at the very porch of St Mark's, can fully appreciate what the accomplished reconstruction of the tower, in every minute detail like its perished predecessor, must mean to the Venetians.Only those who witnessed the consternation, the pall of gloom, that fell upon the city when, on 14 July 1902, the mighty tower collapsed, burying among its debris the shattered fragments of Sansovino's precious Loggetta, and – miraculously, it was thought – deposing the crowning gilt bronze angel at the very porch of St Mark's, can fully appreciate what the accomplished reconstruction of the tower, in every minute detail like its perished predecessor, must mean to the Venetians.
The task was one of prodigious difficulty, for the old Campanile was by no means a sound structure. It was built partly of indifferent material; it had a superstructure far too heavy for the foundations and the masonry; it was provided with five colossal bronze bells, the vibrations of which were a constant danger to the stability of the building.The task was one of prodigious difficulty, for the old Campanile was by no means a sound structure. It was built partly of indifferent material; it had a superstructure far too heavy for the foundations and the masonry; it was provided with five colossal bronze bells, the vibrations of which were a constant danger to the stability of the building.
And yet the new Campanile had to be ensured against any possibility of a similar catastrophe while retaining an exact semblance to its vanished precursor. The same 10 tons of bronze had to be suspended in the open loggia to toll the hours across the lagoon. The same weighty double roof of masonry and copper, conical inside and pyramidal outside, and crowned by the heavy revolving bronze angel, had to be supported by the shaft. The commission in charge of the work brushed aside all sentimental considerations when faced with the practical problem of how to secure the greatest possible stability. The foundations had to be considerably strengthened and extended; constructive faults had to be rectified. Of the nature of this task nothing can speak more eloquently than figures. The available statistics show that the total weight of the Campanile is 12,970,000kg, including 1,530 cubic metres of new and 35 of old Istrian stone and 1,204,000 bricks.And yet the new Campanile had to be ensured against any possibility of a similar catastrophe while retaining an exact semblance to its vanished precursor. The same 10 tons of bronze had to be suspended in the open loggia to toll the hours across the lagoon. The same weighty double roof of masonry and copper, conical inside and pyramidal outside, and crowned by the heavy revolving bronze angel, had to be supported by the shaft. The commission in charge of the work brushed aside all sentimental considerations when faced with the practical problem of how to secure the greatest possible stability. The foundations had to be considerably strengthened and extended; constructive faults had to be rectified. Of the nature of this task nothing can speak more eloquently than figures. The available statistics show that the total weight of the Campanile is 12,970,000kg, including 1,530 cubic metres of new and 35 of old Istrian stone and 1,204,000 bricks.
The most delicate task of all was the reconstruction of Sansovino's Loggetta, with all its exquisite sculptured details in marble and in bronze. Looking now upon the richly decorated colonnade, with its statues and reliefs, multi-coloured marbles and carved capitals, one can hardly realise what ingenuity, what artistic skill, what mechanical dexterity were needed to raise this architectural gem from a chaotic heap of ruins.The most delicate task of all was the reconstruction of Sansovino's Loggetta, with all its exquisite sculptured details in marble and in bronze. Looking now upon the richly decorated colonnade, with its statues and reliefs, multi-coloured marbles and carved capitals, one can hardly realise what ingenuity, what artistic skill, what mechanical dexterity were needed to raise this architectural gem from a chaotic heap of ruins.
The equally badly injured bronze figures of Apollo, Mercury, Minerva and Peace in the niches between the pilasters have been restored with the greatest skill. But, most wonderful of all, Sansovino's masterpiece, the famous terracotta group of the Madonna with the Infant Saviour and St John, smashed into 1,600 fragments, that had to be collected in the heap of dust and broken stone and brick, has been pieced together, all but the irrevocably lost head of the Virgin! Imagine the patience entailed in the building up, piece by piece, of this monumental jigsaw puzzle!The equally badly injured bronze figures of Apollo, Mercury, Minerva and Peace in the niches between the pilasters have been restored with the greatest skill. But, most wonderful of all, Sansovino's masterpiece, the famous terracotta group of the Madonna with the Infant Saviour and St John, smashed into 1,600 fragments, that had to be collected in the heap of dust and broken stone and brick, has been pieced together, all but the irrevocably lost head of the Virgin! Imagine the patience entailed in the building up, piece by piece, of this monumental jigsaw puzzle!
Of course, there were innumerable photographs and plaster casts for the guidance of the artists engaged upon all this work of reconstruction, but their achievement is, none the less, hardly short of miraculous.Of course, there were innumerable photographs and plaster casts for the guidance of the artists engaged upon all this work of reconstruction, but their achievement is, none the less, hardly short of miraculous.
Thus the Campanile stands today, 10 years after its collapse, a triumph of preserving labour, its erstwhile beauty unimpaired, an exact replica of the ill-fated structure, though more solid and scientific, though the brick shell encloses now a passenger lift, a concession made by the worshippers of the old to the requirements of the 20th century.Thus the Campanile stands today, 10 years after its collapse, a triumph of preserving labour, its erstwhile beauty unimpaired, an exact replica of the ill-fated structure, though more solid and scientific, though the brick shell encloses now a passenger lift, a concession made by the worshippers of the old to the requirements of the 20th century.
That the whole gigantic structure, upon which a well-officered army of workers was employed, with brief interruptions, for 10 years, was erected at a total cost, including all material, of 2,200,000 lire (£88,000) suggests that everybody engaged in this great task allowed his enthusiasm and patriotism to overrule all considerations of personal gain.That the whole gigantic structure, upon which a well-officered army of workers was employed, with brief interruptions, for 10 years, was erected at a total cost, including all material, of 2,200,000 lire (£88,000) suggests that everybody engaged in this great task allowed his enthusiasm and patriotism to overrule all considerations of personal gain.
This is an edited extractThis is an edited extract
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