Basilica di San Marcos, Venice

[rpcrowe]

This mural above the entrance of the Basilica di San Marcos tells the legend of how the Venetians nabbed the body of Saint Mark from Alexandria, Egypt before it was to be cremated by the local Muslims.



According to the legend (and it is just a legend), the Venetians packed the body in a cask of bacon since pork is abhorrent to Muslims. I am sure that they brought back a body but, was it Saint Mark?

Saint Mark became the Patron Saint of Venice and his symbol was the winged lion which became the symbol of Venice (or the other way around).



Venice was a very powerful city state and the winged lion symbol is found all over the Aegean and Adriatic areas...

[rawill]

Love the photos, but how can you eliminate or minimise the keystone effect when taking photos above.

And is it true that he or his family had a house in Korcula - Croatia

[rpcrowe]

I did minimize the keystoning all that I could... Don't know if he lived in Croatia. I don't really pay too much attention to the lives of the saints (although I do have a saint in my family tree).

[Dave Humphries]

I remember seeing, and probably shooting, these when I visited decades ago

I wonder if the gold has faded or become grubby, I remember them being much brighter.

I think the best way to avoid key-stoning (without it looking false if corrected in PP from this low angle) is to shoot from much further back with a much longer lens, which will permit a 'less upward angle' shot.

Cheers,