Venezia 1865 - 1866

Editor: This marble sculpture, “Venezia,” by Larkin Goldsmith Mead, dates from around 1865. The bust’s serene expression contrasts dramatically with the rough texture suggesting perhaps a seashell. What symbolism do you see at play in this contrast? Curator: The juxtaposition immediately evokes Venus, doesn't it? Born of the sea. But Mead gives us Venezia, not Venus. The power of Venice resided in its position as a gateway between East and West. She is both a classical allusion and a culturally specific reference to Venetian identity. Do you see anything in her gaze? Editor: There is a downward cast that is wistful, or perhaps melancholy, even? Not exactly the triumphant gaze I would associate with, say, an allegory of a city. Curator: Exactly. Consider Venice’s decline as a maritime power around this time. The seashell itself can be interpreted, beyond its connection to Venus, as a symbol of pilgrimage. Think of the scallop shell of St. James. Perhaps Venezia, enshrined in marble, becomes a site of pilgrimage. What emotions does that idea conjure? Editor: I feel a longing for a glorious past. Something beautiful that is slowly fading away, becoming more myth than reality. Curator: And so, we are left with this compelling portrait: a negotiation between classical ideals, the cultural weight of Venice, and a sense of elegiac remembrance, all meticulously rendered in marble. It's as much about memory as it is about form. Editor: I see her in a new light now, as a cultural emblem carrying multiple layers of historical significance. It’s remarkable how much can be read from one sculpted figure.