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12 September 1881 — Ca’ Capello, Venice | |
Monday. 12th September [1881]. On rising was greeted with the news that the Squire had the gout. I worked at modelling all the morng but had no model. Mrs Burr sat in the studio & painted as the Squire lay on the sofa. I arranged all the flowers for the dinner table & had finished just by lunch time. Giovanni had to go to the Sindaco having been summoned by a man who he had engaged as servant & who had put off so often coming that Giov. had been obliged to take another man. Giov returned radiant saying he was astonished to find he had been able to make a speech of ¾ hour & that he believed he was competent to be a deputy of Parliament. He said he had got “very hot” when the servant said he had not seen the “master” but only “una donna” meaning myself wh Giov. considered a great insult. After lunch Henry took Mrs Burr & me to the modern Exhibition of pictures & statues at the Pisani Palace & we went thro room upon room of the most hideous productions in the worst taste. There was one good portrait by Blaas of Css Papadopoli which is the only picture I can remember. After that we went about leaving cards & Mrs Burr & I walked in the Piazza while Henry went to to some shopping &c. We went home & got some tea & then set off to go to the station to see the King arrive. Css Marcello brought Theresa just as we were leaving & we took her into our gondola. We put our flag out & the hangings I had made & we made a capital effect with them. We rowed up the Grand Canal & stationed the gondola opposite the steps of the station. We had to wait a little while till the Queen arrived to meet the King—& punctually at 7.40 H.M. arrived & the March royal was played. The King & Queen got into a gondola with blue cloth—the back of the seat was carved & silvered & the metal things at the side were of silver—the prow was gilt. The liveries of the gondoliers were unhappily very ugly—blue breeches & silk stocking, sashes & short cloth jacket & low crowned hats. But the whole thing was novel & very picturesque & it was a very pretty sight to see the crowd of gondolas following the Court. We went by a short cut home & arrived just in time to see them all pass our house and go up the canal & it was a very pretty sight. I had at once to set to work & dress for dinner & Theresa helped me till her mother came to fetch her on her way home from waiting on the Queen. We had a dinner party of 12 people. P. Teano, Ct Manfrin (Prefetto), Ct Serego di Dante Alleghieri (Sindaco), Css Marcello, Sir H. T. Thuillier (the Indian Commr), Barozzi (Secy to the G. Congress), Señor Arillaga, Genl. Kokhovsky (the Russian Commr) & Captain Wheeler (the American Commr). After dinner Mrs Eden joined us & Theresa Marcello also. I attacked the Prefetto at dinner abt the innovations such as the small steamers wh are going to be allowed on the canals & he assured me they wd be on the Giudecca & not on the Grand Canal. We had a great argument as to their utility & he declared that they were necessary for the improved communications. He & Conte Serego left us soon after dinner saying they had to go to the theatre to see some trial of lighting by electricity. We had tea & all chattered for some time. Old Sir H. Thuillier amused us very much with his old world manners. He said his sister had married W. Savage Landor after whom he himself was named after Landor in compliment to him. Sir Henry admired Theresa very much & was very gallant. When all the party had gone Henry & I went to Css Valmarana’s where there were a good many Venetians. We stayed about an hour. I made several acquaintance—amongst them a Css Mocenigo a widow Austrian who pleased me very much. We got to bed rather late. | |
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