They were called prostitutes and courtesans. But then in 1990 they become noble ladies. The two Venetian Ladies on a Terrace is a famous painting by Carpaccio housed in the Museo Correr in Venice. Sitting on a terrace, the two women have ornate hairstyles and bosoms exposed by off-the-shoulder dresses. The realistic details of their presentations are “suspended magically in a harmonious visual music, a pattern of color and form: the page-boy climbing between the marble pillars, the doves perching on the parapet, the big dog chewing at a cord, a letter held down by its paw, a pair of discarded wedge shoes lying next to the peahen on the salmon-pink floor.” Many scholars have tried to suggest various allegorical readings of these objects, but the truth is still a mystery.
The story of the two Venetian Ladies is fascinating considering that the panel in the Museo Correr is only half of the tale. The other half of the painting is at the Getty Museum in Los Angeles – the painting called Hunting on the Lagoon. The idea that the two panels were actually once joined began in 1963, but it was not confirmed until 1990 when the Getty conservators found many evidence for the claim. In fact this may well be a rear example of Venetian 15th century furniture piece.
Then further examination with infrared lights showed that the panels have under drawings and 28 horizontal lines running through the water on the left side and diminishing in the spacing between. In fact, the perspective of the lines may be seen as extension of another larger composition.
The beautiful rare piece was decapitated in 19th century when an art dealer probably thought of making extra cash by selling two paintings rather then one. Now the two pieces will be forever divorced – one in Venice, where it was originated, the other, hundreds of miles away, at the Getty museum. Depending on which side of the world you are you can still enjoy the Carpaccio’s Venice – a city where life was art, and art was life.
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