Lead donors:
Christopher Todd Page, Dr. Alice T. Friedman, and Carter & Susan Emerson.

With additional support from:
Tina Walls, Alex & Francesco Di Valmarana, Anne H. Fitzpatrick, Maddalena Gemma, Annasue McCleave Wilson & John Wilson, Pamela Babey & David Wing, Tom Bastow & Michael Call, Elizabeth Bemis, Mr. & Mrs. Phillip R. Bush, Frederick & Cassandra Ilchman, Nancy Lutz, James R. Schufreider, George Shackelford, Jan Bush, Bridget and Donald Gleeson, Liz Makrauer, Alejandro Merizalde, Jon Omahen, Joe Dolcini, Lynn & Craig Bardell, Michael Forte, Mary-Lee Kvietkus, and Paola Vojnovic.

Perhaps nothing is more emblematic of Venice than the gondola. Created as a practical form of transport, they transformed over time into objects of sleek beauty. Daily use, however, usually condemned them to a short lifespan. The “Laura” is amongst the oldest gondolas still in existence and it is proudly displayed in the entry hall of the Ca’ Rezzonico Museum. Most likely constructed in the 1920s-30s, it is decorated with elaborate reliefs of arabesque designs, foliage, and fantastical dolphins and is embellished with gold and bronze details and fixtures. The cover, known as a felze, is very different in style and appears to predate the gondola by about two decades.

The “Laura” gondola was purchased by Venice’s civic museums in 1965 from the heirs of boatman Angelo Garizzo (whose initials are engraved on the ferro di prua, the characteristic metal element attached to the bow of each gondola) and was the subject of a conservation treatment before it was displayed in Ca’ Rezzonico Museum. Although the gondola bears two coats of arms, little else regarding its provenance is documented.

During the Save Venice-funded conservation treatment in 2019, art historians and gondola experts Gianfranco Munerotto and Gilberto Penzo analyzed the technical characteristics of the gondola, including the length and incline of the hull, method of construction, and style of the decorations. They determined that it was most likely made in the early twentieth century, in the interwar period, while the felze was likely slightly older, dating to the first years of the 1900s.

The gondola bears a brass plaque engraved with “LAURA AC 22.6.27,” which likely records an important episode and person connected with the Garizzo family. Upon removing this plaque for conservation, the initials MC became visible — perhaps for Michiel Casal, a member of an important family of gondola makers active in Venice from the nineteenth century to around 1920.

As more than 50 years had passed since its last conservation treatment, the Laura gondola was suffering from numerous condition problems. The most pressing issue was an active infestation of wood-boring insects. Thick layers of dust and debris including cobwebs covered the surface of the boat. Several of the wooden slats had separated and the metal fixtures of the gondola were completely oxidized. The gondola’s felze was in the most precarious state of conservation: the interior silk upholstery was ripped and deteriorating in many places.

After treating the gondola for the insect infestation, conservator Stefania Sartori and her team removed the surface dirt and grime and stabilized and repaired any cracks or fissures in the wood. Any small losses were consolidated using an acrylic paint known as “Nero Gondola” — gondola black — which is still used to repair and maintain gondolas in circulation today. During conservation, the original blue color of the gondola’s floorboards was discovered from beneath a layer of garish yellow paint, and many gold painted details were recovered from beneath black overpainting.

In collaboration with metal expert Alessandro Ervas, the oxidized bronze fixtures and decorations of the gondola were carefully treated and cleaned, revealing the elaborate embellishments that had been distorted. A protective varnish was applied to each piece to help prevent oxidation in the future.

The treatment of the felze was particularly challenging due to its poor state of conservation. Stefania Sartori and her team cleaned and repaired the wooden, bronze, and glass elements of the cover. Fabric conservation expert Anna Passarella carefully cleaned and repaired the intricately embroidered upholstery inside the door and roof of the cover. The silk fabric covering the walls was determined to be too deteriorated for repair, so it was replaced with fabric generously donated by Rubelli, following the original design as much as possible. The fabric was installed using a Velcro system to allow for its easy removal for regular care and maintenance.

The Laura gondola is once again visible to visitors to Ca’ Rezzonico Museum. Save Venice supporters had the chance to view the restored treasure with our experts during the Carnevale Gala in Venice in February 2020. Due to the more fragile nature of the felze, it was moved to a more protected indoor location at the top of the monumental staircase. All visitors to the museum pass the prominent display just next to the entrance to the main ballroom.

For select projects, conservation dossiers in Italian containing limited textual and photographic documentation may be available for consultation by appointment at the Venice office of Save Venice and the Rosand Library & Study Center. For inquiries, please contact us at venice@savevenice.org.

Unidentified Gondola Maker
“Laura” Gondola
Early 20 century, carved and painted wood with bronze decoration and leather felze

Ca’ Rezzonico Museum: Homepage

Munerotto, Gianfranco. Gondole: sei secoli di evoluzione nella storia e nell’arte. Venice: Il Cardo, 1994.