Return of ‘Il Bucintoro’ on Ascension Day 1745 - 1750

Canaletto captured this bustling scene with oil on canvas, immortalizing the return of the Bucintoro on Ascension Day. The gilded Bucintoro ship, a floating embodiment of Venetian power, dominates the composition as it carries the Doge in the annual 'Marriage of the Sea' ceremony. This ritualistic act is rich in symbolism, echoing ancient traditions of appeasing the gods through offerings. Think of the Norse blóts to Njord, god of the sea, in exchange for safe passage and plentiful bounty. These customs transcended geographical boundaries and religious shifts, resurfacing in Venice as a symbolic union between the city and the sea. The collective memory of these ancient rituals, transmitted through generations, surfaces in Venice's elaborate ceremony, a display of civic pride charged with emotional significance. The Doge casting a ring into the sea—a potent gesture symbolizing dominance and dependence—is echoed through time in different forms. We observe this non-linear, cyclical progression as a cultural motif being repeated in a variety of contexts.