Scrapbook Crops

BPLDC no.: 08_04_000164

Page Title: The old and the new

Collection: William Vaughn Tupper Scrapbook Collection

Album: Volume 44: Venice.

Call no.: 4098B.104 v44 (p. 17)

Creator: Tupper, William Vaughn

Genre: Scrapbooks; Albumen prints

Extent: 1 photographic print mounted on page : albumen ; page 33 x 39 cm.

Description: Scrapbook page contains one photograph of a child feeding pigeons in a piazza in Venice, Italy, with annotated information about the custom’s historical origins. Other information describes the site’s architectural details.

Transcription: Feeding the Pigeons in the Piazza is an ancient custom, the origin is variously reported to the gratitude of Enrico Dandolo a crusader besieging Candia to whom carrier pigeons brought important news — to superstitious reverence for some pigeons liberated on Palm Sunday who sought an asylum in the Cathedral St. Mark. At all events they were long fed by the Republic, " un décret fut rendu portant qu’ils seraient non-seulement respectés mais nourris aus frais de l’Etat" Valery. Now they are fed from the bequest of a pious old lady and by the peas and corn given them by strangers. The bronze sockets or Pedestals were executed by Alessandro Leopardo in 1505. From them rose flag staffs on which hung the banner of the Republic.

Notes: Page description supplied by cataloger, derived from captions and/or annotated information.

BPL Department: Print Department

Rights: No known restrictions.