140 - 18th-century ITALIAN school, follower of Michele Giovanni Marieschi (1696–1743)

18th-century ITALIAN school, follower of Michele Giovanni Marieschi (1696–1743) La Sensa Oil on canvas H_36.5 cm W_42.5 cm Restorations Our composition depicts the Sensa, the Doge’s Marriage to the Sea, an iconic tradition of the city of Venice. This ceremony symbolizes the Republic of Venice’s dominion over the waters. On this occasion, the Doge throws a gold ring into the sea while reciting the Latin phrase: “Desponsamus te, mare, in signum veri perpetuique dominii,” which means: “We wed you, sea, as a sign of true and perpetual dominion.” The ceremony takes place around the splendid Bucentaur in the foreground, a vessel used exclusively for this celebration. Extraordinarily luxurious, it took its name from its centaur-shaped figurehead and was used by the Doge to perform the symbolic gesture of casting the gold ring into the Adriatic Sea. Our work depicts this defining moment in Venetian life that marked the day of the Ascension for nearly six centuries, until the invasion by Bonaparte’s troops in 1797.