Showing posts with label Venice. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Venice. Show all posts

Friday, September 05, 2025

Venice’s famous winged lion statue was originally a Tang dynasty tomb guardian crafted in China more than 1,000 years ago

China's influence on Europe goes way back! Ask Marco Polo!

"A bronze statue of a winged lion that has long graced the center of Piazza San Marco in Venice is from a faraway land, according to a new study. It was made in China as a tomb guardian over 1,000 years ago and may have been imported to Italy by Marco Polo's father via the Silk Road in the 13th century, the researchers found. ..."

From the abstract:
"There are no known written records pertaining to the origins of the enigmatic bronze ‘Lion’ that stands atop one of the two large columns of the Piazzetta in St Mark’s Square, Venice (Italy). Representing the Venetian Winged Lion, a powerful symbol of statehood, the sculpture was installed during a time of political uncertainty in medieval Mediterranean Europe, yet its features do not reflect local artistic conventions.
Here, the authors argue that stylistic parallels are found in Tang Dynasty China (AD 618–907); employing lead isotope analysis, they further show that the figure was cast with copper isotopically consistent with ore from the Lower Yangzi River basin."

Friday, September 5, 2025 - Join The Flyover

Iconic winged lion statue in Venice may actually be from China's Tang dynasty, study finds "A new study of the trace amounts of lead in Venice's famous winged lion statue suggests that its metal originated in China — and Marco Polo's family may have brought it over."







Monday, November 18, 2024

What is the DOGE or the return of the Doge?

A digital currency (Dogecoin) associated with or favored by Elon Musk?

No it is the "highest role of authority within the Republic of Venice (697 CE to 1797 CE)" (Wikipedia)

The last Doge of Venice (or what will Elon Musk wear as a member of the DOGE?)



Saturday, January 29, 2022

Casanova: World's Greatest Lover

Very recommendable! The master of ballrooms and bedrooms! A gamble by day and a pleasure seeker by night. In his autobiography he wrote he was all his life a victim of his senses! 💋
The worst crime in Venice in his days was to be boring! He appreciated every women no matter how short their encounter.
He did not speak for the first eight years of his life and was prone to nose bleeding ...
At age 17 he completed his priestly education and he also experienced his first ... sexual encounter, a simultaneous seduction of two orphaned sisters ... He learnt it is better to have to women compete for him ...
His entire autobiography was not published until the 1960s because of its content.

Wednesday, November 17, 2021

Sculptor in Venice Creates Giant 12-Meter-Long Violin That Floats Through Grand Canal

People do almost anything for five minutes of fame! Sensationalism!

It actually hurts to see this. This is unusually bad taste for music loving Italians! Just imagine a Stradivari or Amati violin is floating on the water!

Sculptor in Venice Creates Giant 12-Meter-Long Violin That Floats Through Grand Canal



Saturday, February 06, 2021

Silk, Seduction, And Sin: The Renaissance Art Of Passion with Waldemar Januszczak

Very recommendable! Venice, the capitol of glass and much more!
"It was Venice that invented the reclining Venus"!
"A bull with a foot fetish!"
Don't miss the other great art documentaries by Waldemar Januszczak!

Venice: Bridge of Tits ("It takes its name ("Bridge of the Tits") from the use of the bridge by prostitutes, who were encouraged to stand topless on the bridge and in nearby windows")




Sunday, August 05, 2018

Gracia Mendes Nasi: A Largely Unknown Rich & Successful Business Woman

Posted: 8/5/2018


Trigger


I recently watched this documentary video about Wir Europäer 2 Europa erfindet den Kapitalismus (in German language), where I encountered a mentioning of this lady, i.e. Gracia Mendes Nasi (1510? - 1569), probably for the first time in my life.


Oh girl/[boy], was I stunned for a moment when I learnt of this lady and her almost incredible accomplishments!


Gracia Mendes Nasi


She was also also known by her Christianized name Beatrice de Luna Mendes. Wikipedia describes her as “one of the wealthiest Jewish women of Renaissance Europe”.


Yes, you can argue it was her husband or his family, who created the wealth and she just happened to inherit it. “Francisco [her husband, who died when she was 28 years old] divided his fortune between Beatrice and his brother and business partner, Diogo; this bold decision put Beatrice on the path to becoming the successful and renowned business woman of the sixteenth century ...” Well, was this just an expression of his devotion and love for his wife or was it trust in his wife to take care of business?


According the YouTube audio biography (see source no. 2), this lady was quite a business woman who conducted business all over Europe and even from several different countries. She is apparently also known for her tremendous efforts to help large numbers of European Jews to escape persecution.


For more details about her life, please see sources below.


Conclusion


Feminism is a false ideology and a myth! Women, who dared succeeded!


Sources:

  1. The Life And Death Of Gracia Mendes Nasi (YouTube video; audio biography)
  2. Who Was Dona Gracia Nasi? Jewish Biography as History Dr. Henry Abramson (Had no time yet to watch this YouTube biography of her)