.

This is one of the most notable examples of domestic Gothic
architecture in Venice, and dates from the fifteenth century. Ruskin
refers to it as follows: "In one respect, however, it deserves to be
regarded with attention, as showing how much beauty and dignity may
be bestowed on a very small and unimportant dwelling-house by Gothic
sculpture. Foolish criticisms upon it have appeared in English
accounts of foreign buildings, objecting to it on the ground of its
being 'ill proportioned'; the simple fact being that there was no room
in this part of the canal for a wider house, and that its builder made
its rooms as comfortable as he could, and its windows and balconies of
a convenient size for those who were to see through them and stand on
them, and left the 'proportions' outside to take care of themselves,
which, indeed, they have very sufficiently done; for though the house
thus honestly confesses its diminutiveness, it is nevertheless one of
the principal ornaments of the very noblest reach of the Grand Canal,
and would be nearly as great a loss if it were destroyed, as the
church of La Salute itself."

This building is popularly known as "Desdemona's House."

III.

THE PALAZZO CAVALLI, VENICE.

This palace, situated opposite the Academy of Arts on the Grand Canal,
also dates from the fifteenth century. Its balconies and tracery are
of the later Gothic period, showing marked tendencies towards the
Renaissance.

It has been recently restored by its present owner, Baron Franchetti,
and is frequently spoken of as the Palazzo Franchetti.

IV.

WINDOW TRACERY IN THE PALAZZO CAVALLI.

In Venetian tracery it will always be found that a certain arrangement
of quatrefoils and other figures has been planned as if it were to
extend indefinitely into miles of arcade, and out of this colossal
piece of marble lace a portion in the shape of a window is cut
mercilessly and fearlessly: what fragments and odd shapes of
interstice, remnants of this or that figure of the divided foliation,
may occur at the edge of the window, it matters not; all are cut
across and shut in by the great outer archivolt. This is of course
open to serious criticism as construction, but its beauty and
effectiveness, as used here, cannot be gainsaid.

V.

WINDOW TRACERY IN THE PALAZZO CICOGNA, VENICE.

This is an example of early Gothic work in Venice and is quite unlike
later examples. Ruskin speaks of it as the o