Essays

Essays

Essay — The Battle of Lepanto, 7 October 1571

In the Sala dello Scrutinio — the hall where Venetian senators used to cast their votes for the election of the doge — there is a painting that stops you in your tracks. It is The Battle of Lepanto by Andrea Vicentino (Andrea Michieli, c. 1539–1614).

Essays

Essay —The Room of the Four Doors

The Room of the Four Doors appears suddenly, early in the visit. It is so overwhelming that, paradoxically, most people move on after only a few minutes. The instinct is to look up, toward the recently restored ceiling — now bright, almost white, and strangely magnetic.