Good or bad, legit or not, ultimately the Venicians saved those binzantine treasures for posterity, from being destroyed or disappearance during the fall of constantinople in 1492. You video is brilliant, your narrative hooked me up, your 7 minutes helped me understand what I already suspected about the city state of Venice. Seven minutes equivalente to several books of art, politics, economics and history. Thank you
The only consolation of these relics is that because they were stolen we can now admire them as no doubt they would have been destroyed as blasphemous objects when the Ottomans finally took Constantinople during the fall of the Byzantine Empire.
Been watching your videos in freshman year of Uni and I've love it ever since! Please don't stop doing these!!! Smarthistory inspired me to pursue a career in the Humanities
And we can never forget the slaughter in konstantinople in 1204 and all the treasures stolen and brought to Venice! These horses come from ancient Olympia art work of pheidias
Great video. One correction: the Venetian Republic was anything but small - it had 3 parts the Dogado (Duchy of Venice), the Stato de Mar (lands of the sea), and the Domini di terrafirma (mainland extending west halfway cross the Peninsula to Bergamo & Brescia, and almost equally as far to the East; down the eastern coast of the Adriatic almost to Dubrovnik, etc) which, when taken together, included over 103 distinct localities. It only became the Venice as we know it in the mid-19th century.
We don't get to see the inside? That was the main reason I clicked on this video, because I've rarely seen the inside of Saint Mark's. Also, with the fall of Constantinople in 1453 to the Muslims, a lot of Christian iconography might not have survived if the Venetians hadn't stolen them from Constantinople before that time. (A way of rationalizing theft, maybe.)
The video I watched JUST before this one spoke about how outraged the Italians were that the Met in NY had a Greek vase that came from an Italian tomb. The Italians demanded it’s return (successfully) Now I’m sure the Italians will do the same for their stolen art...
Art is to be returned according to certain criteria that are established in conventions that are signed by Italy and other countries. The criteria are chronological, mainly. For instance, Italy returned the Obelisk of Axum to Ethiopia, which was transported after the Italian invasion in 1935-36. Italy is slowly getting back artistic pieces from the US, which are full of stolen art. On the other hand, things that were looted by Napoleon (more than 20.000 paintings from Venice alone) and which have not been returned after the Treaty of Vienna and the Restoration, will not be returned now (and are still in the Louvre or some other French museum) because that is outside the scope of modern treaties. If an Etruscan tomb is looted in the XX Century in Italy, Italy will certainly claim the restitution of objects which have been smuggled to the US, as the treaties cover this kind of recent thefts.
"Sacred theft" is a new concept for me, lol. Sounds like an oxymoron, but you never know... I do know I can always appreciate a good mosaic and multicolored, marble pillars. Thank goodness for that Procession painting depicting the three missing mosaics, but I do wonder what happened to the others. I also loved hearing about Venice's history - I didn't know it was such a hodge-podge of (pilfered?) goods!
The story goes that the ships crew managed to steal Mark's corpse...took it back to their ship..then hid it by piling pork on top of it. The Muslim inspectors, religiously averse to pork..turned in disgust snd approved the ships sailing. Likely apocryphal but still a fun tale!
@@michaelfisher7170 Oh wow, that is kinda fun! I wonder what Mark would've thought of that, but after Peter's vision, it was probably fine. Thanks for sharing. 🙂
We record onsite. Saint Mark's is an incredibly busy place, even off season and we think this is an important truth to convey for the points made within the video.
@@smarthistory-art-history read up on those horses and evidence points to created in Rome during Hadrians time 100Ad. Constantinople stole a lot of materials from the original Empire just like those massive Roman granite columns from baalbek for Sophia church
Venice was a _republic_ for over 1000 years, from the late 7th century until the late 18th century - way longer than other Republics, longer than Ancient Greece, longer than the Roman and French Republics, only eclipsed in length by the 3000 year Egyptian civilisation.
All peoples have plundered other peoples. The booty is part of the history of humanity, unfortunately. Look at the Egyptian obelisks in Rome, Byzantine relics in Venice, all the art of Eastern antiquity in the British Museum... You find the horses of Constantinople Hippodrome in Venice and Venetian paintings by Veronese in the Louvre in Paris (looted during the Napoleonic Wars). The theft of works of art and antiquities during wars has always been a constant because looting is a way of demonstrating power. I am from Brazil, South America. In my neighbouring country, Peru, you can see how the spanish conquestadors stole treasures from the Old Inca Empire and used it to decorate their buildings as an affirmation of colonial power.
It's just a matter of time before these art pieces are "stolen" from Venice. The city is losing a battle with rising waters, and foreigners will happily "save" the historical artwork from the Venetians.
Please, don't you ever stop with your videos.
You guys are as much a treasure as the subjects you feature! By far my favorite channel! Your service to us is immeasurable!
This brings back so many happy memories. We were there one early morning, before the crowd from the cruiseships arrived.
Thank you for making me appreciate art and the history behind those wonderul architecture.
I love the videos you create! They’re absolutely excellent to share with my art students. Thanks so much 😊
Good or bad, legit or not, ultimately the Venicians saved those binzantine treasures for posterity, from being destroyed or disappearance during the fall of constantinople in 1492. You video is brilliant, your narrative hooked me up, your 7 minutes helped me understand what I already suspected about the city state of Venice. Seven minutes equivalente to several books of art, politics, economics and history. Thank you
The only consolation of these relics is that because they were stolen we can now admire them as no doubt they would have been destroyed as blasphemous objects when the Ottomans finally took Constantinople during the fall of the Byzantine Empire.
You bring history to life!
Thanks
Hello again Al.
I appreciate and enjoy your videos so much, you put so many thoughts and research in your work. Thanks a lot!
Been watching your videos in freshman year of Uni and I've love it ever since! Please don't stop doing these!!!
Smarthistory inspired me to pursue a career in the Humanities
Thanks for keep in doing this great work, we learn a lot of you, greetings from México.
Great story!
Amazing church, glad to see a video on it.
We can never forget that this great building is a functioning church. Praise be to God and may we all live in peace with one another.
And we can never forget the slaughter in konstantinople in 1204 and all the treasures stolen and brought to Venice! These horses come from ancient Olympia art work of pheidias
Grateful for yet another thought provoking video.
I adore your videos.
Enjoyed this immensely, thankyou
Great video. One correction: the Venetian Republic was anything but small - it had 3 parts the Dogado (Duchy of Venice), the Stato de Mar (lands of the sea), and the Domini di terrafirma (mainland extending west halfway cross the Peninsula to Bergamo & Brescia, and almost equally as far to the East; down the eastern coast of the Adriatic almost to Dubrovnik, etc) which, when taken together, included over 103 distinct localities. It only became the Venice as we know it in the mid-19th century.
I thought that the four horses came from the island of Delos. The Byzantine relics probably only survive because they were taken from Constantinople.
Nice video 😊 ❤️ I wanted to know what application you use for making it?
This should be useful: smarthistory.org/commons-landing/smarthistory-video-creation-guide/
Holiday goals
The background noise is interesting. I'm unsure if I like it or not
The background noise is real, we record onsite, and this is one of the most heavily touristed places in Europe.
I appreciate the 4k!
We don't get to see the inside? That was the main reason I clicked on this video, because I've rarely seen the inside of Saint Mark's.
Also, with the fall of Constantinople in 1453 to the Muslims, a lot of Christian iconography might not have survived if the Venetians hadn't stolen them from Constantinople before that time. (A way of rationalizing theft, maybe.)
@cloudtoground we in the West saved a lot of art/architecture that would most likely been destroyed in Muslim hands, especially in Egypt,
The video I watched JUST before this one spoke about how outraged the Italians were that the Met in NY had a Greek vase that came from an Italian tomb. The Italians demanded it’s return (successfully) Now I’m sure the Italians will do the same for their stolen art...
Of course no art should be returned, especially if it was plundered many centuries ago
Art is to be returned according to certain criteria that are established in conventions that are signed by Italy and other countries. The criteria are chronological, mainly. For instance, Italy returned the Obelisk of Axum to Ethiopia, which was transported after the Italian invasion in 1935-36. Italy is slowly getting back artistic pieces from the US, which are full of stolen art. On the other hand, things that were looted by Napoleon (more than 20.000 paintings from Venice alone) and which have not been returned after the Treaty of Vienna and the Restoration, will not be returned now (and are still in the Louvre or some other French museum) because that is outside the scope of modern treaties. If an Etruscan tomb is looted in the XX Century in Italy, Italy will certainly claim the restitution of objects which have been smuggled to the US, as the treaties cover this kind of recent thefts.
Called statute of limitations..the venetian horses were legit taken because they were made in rome. That vase was stolen illegally out of italy
"Sacred theft" is a new concept for me, lol. Sounds like an oxymoron, but you never know...
I do know I can always appreciate a good mosaic and multicolored, marble pillars. Thank goodness for that Procession painting depicting the three missing mosaics, but I do wonder what happened to the others. I also loved hearing about Venice's history - I didn't know it was such a hodge-podge of (pilfered?) goods!
The story goes that the ships crew managed to steal Mark's corpse...took it back to their ship..then hid it by piling pork on top of it. The Muslim inspectors, religiously averse to pork..turned in disgust snd approved the ships sailing. Likely apocryphal but still a fun tale!
@@michaelfisher7170 Oh wow, that is kinda fun! I wonder what Mark would've thought of that, but after Peter's vision, it was probably fine. Thanks for sharing. 🙂
And those horses were taken by Napoleon and later on had to be returned.
We have a video on that: ua-cam.com/video/1H7u3jVQ0zg/v-deo.html
Why all the background noise? Why not just voice over the film in a quiet area.
We record onsite. Saint Mark's is an incredibly busy place, even off season and we think this is an important truth to convey for the points made within the video.
Those horses were constructed by Rome. They took what was theirs
Your certainty is based on...?
@@smarthistory-art-history read up on those horses and evidence points to created in Rome during Hadrians time 100Ad. Constantinople stole a lot of materials from the original Empire just like those massive Roman granite columns from baalbek for Sophia church
Venice is fantastic. But is there someting that wasnt stolen by the Venitians in Venice?.
There is! So much in fact, for example art by the the three Bellini's, Tintoretto, Giorgione, Titian, and so many other extraordinary artists.
Venice was a _republic_ for over 1000 years, from the late 7th century until the late 18th century - way longer than other Republics, longer than Ancient Greece, longer than the Roman and French Republics, only eclipsed in length by the 3000 year Egyptian civilisation.
All peoples have plundered other peoples. The booty is part of the history of humanity, unfortunately.
Look at the Egyptian obelisks in Rome, Byzantine relics in Venice, all the art of Eastern antiquity in the British Museum...
You find the horses of Constantinople Hippodrome in Venice and Venetian paintings by Veronese in the Louvre in Paris (looted during the Napoleonic Wars). The theft of works of art and antiquities during wars has always been a constant because looting is a way of demonstrating power. I am from Brazil, South America. In my neighbouring country, Peru, you can see how the spanish conquestadors stole treasures from the Old Inca Empire and used it to decorate their buildings as an affirmation of colonial power.
It's just a matter of time before these art pieces are "stolen" from Venice. The city is losing a battle with rising waters, and foreigners will happily "save" the historical artwork from the Venetians.