Venice: Biblioteca
Nazionale Marciana – Spectacles Fit for a Doge. The Sunglasses in the Venice of
the Eighteenth Century exhibition. In the majestic
frescoed rooms of the Biblioteca Sansoviniana of the Biblioteca Nazionale Marciana, until July 13, the exhibition Specticales Fit for a Doge. The Sunglasses in the Venice of the Eighteenth Century exhibition, in collaboration
with, the Comitato Venezia, the Eyeglass Museum of Pieve di Cadore and the Experimental Station of
Murano Glass.
"Nero
princeps gladiatorum pugnas spectabat in smaragdo"
Emperor Nero was
one of the first used a colored stone to protect his eyes from sunlight as he
watched the gladiators in combat in the Colosseum. Venetian opticians, 120 years before the rest
of the world discovered the danger of ultra-violet rays, used to produced
emerald green color glass, to create sunglasses that totally stopped these
rays. During the 18th century in Venice, the nobility and Commanders da Mar (of
the sea) wore sunglasses to protect their eyes from the glare of reflected
light while navigating the waters of the lagoon or the open sea.
Spectacles
Fit for a Doge. The exhibition, curated by Roberto Vascellari, aims to spread
the story of the glasses, especially in Venice, where the Murano glassworks
produced the first lenses to shield his eyes from the sun. These lenses, green
color and the form of spectacles or "mirrors" transparent, were used
during the transfer gondola for the ladies or children. Recent studies have
shown that the original lens of the eighteenth century have a great filtering
properties to UV rays, known to be harmful to the eyes and this is very
interesting, as the UV rays were not discovered until the next century.
Above.
Eighteenth century Venetian horn glasses. Goldoni-type eyeglasses or temple
case with clutches. Frame made of horn
with temple pieces having eyelets.
Lateral sun-guards of silk damask similar to brocatelle. Contents in leather carrying case dyed with
Indian ink to simulate tortoise shell.
Spectacles
Fit for a Doge.
An eighteenth
century oil painting of the Neapolitan School, Portrait of a Mathematician, or
"The Engineer", the painting probably represents Carlo Goldoni. The reason why collectors have referred to
this kind of eyewear as Goldoni eyeglasses (above) is still something of a
small mystery. On the one hand, it may
have to do with the period in which they were invented, which was contemporary
to the life of the Venetian playwright.
On the other hand, while sources suggested that the expression could
have been coined by a noted collector of eyeglasses, Fritz Ratschuler.
Spectacles
Fit for a Doge. In late seventeenth century Venice, colored glass was also used
for recreational purposes, but always in a way related to visual
perception. Particularly curious are
those multifaceted pieces of glass that were used to multiply the images of
observed objects, reproducing an image in the same number of times as the
number of facets cut into the surface of the glass.
Above. A blond
horn Venetian orange Polyhedral lens monocle (second half of the eighteenth
century) having sixteen rhombiform facets.
The small handle has two nubs that recall those on the scissor-type
longuette, and it has a hole to which a neck-chain can be attached.
Spectacles
Fit for a Doge. The first publication
entirely about using eyeglasses, considered the first work of optometry, was
Uso de los Antojos by Benito Daza de Valdez, which was published in 1623 in
Spain. Parts of this are quite
pertinent to the exhibition since darkly colored lenses are mentioned here.
Spectacles
Fit for a Doge. The gondola for ladies
glasses were mounted in a frame similar to a hand-held mirror. They probably evolved from monocles and were
modified for the protection of well-to-do women and children during outings in
the gondola.
Above. Late
eighteenth century horn Venetian Gondola glass.
Because of its small size, this may have been made to protect a child’s
eyes. The frame made of horn has been
dyed to achieve a tortoise-shell effect.
The narrowness of the handle makes one think that it may have served to
help hang the glass up in the gondola using a small fork. Contents in pressed leather cases decorated
with flowers and whorls of foliage painted in gold.
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