Back when I studied History of Art I spent a year in Venice researching various secular motifs in 18th Century Venetian painting. My assumption from that time was that Venice, unlike Rome and Florence, was not particularly a centre for religious iconography. However, on recent visits, walking around the city with an objective eye, I have noticed many shrines and altarpieces and have photographed a few that have caught my attention.
In these next images, the Venetian shrines are combined with signs of everyday, contemporary life. The photograph below features hanging laundry as a backdrop:
Below is a detail from behind the lace curtains:
The next two photographs combine religious iconography and graffiti:
Here I liked the Madonna and Child combined with the house number and the exposed pipe work:
And next are a series of Venetian Madonnas, protected behind railings:
i was intrigued by this detail on the side of a building on the Zattere. Nestled like twin babies in a womb, these two monks (?) both have similar arm positions. The one on the left has crossed both hands on his chest whilst holding a cross; the figure on the right has a hand on his heart and the other hand cradling what could be a flame to his belly:
Next a couple of pictures featuring friends and family; firstly my old Venetian friend, photographer Rossano Sanavio. The small shrine reflects the building facades and you can just make out an outstretched arm – part of the Crucifixion scene represented – creating an abstract mix:
My sons striking a pose in front of a religious painting accompanied by floral tributes in a Venetian side street: