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| Photo: Giovanni Lunardi Photography |
In my last posting, I shared a little of my visit to the John and Mabel Ringling Museum of Art. The museum shares space on the grounds of the Ringling's winter home, Cà d'Zan. This is the rear view of the house, facing Sarasota Bay. The Ringlings loved Venice, and the style of this house is Gothic Venetian. (Cà d'Zan is "The House of John" in the Venetian dialect.)
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| Both portraits by Savely Sorine, 1927 |
John Ringling (1866-1936) was one of seven brothers. Five of the brothers got into the circus business in 1870, and by 1889 were successful enough to move the circus on railroad cars, rather than by wagon. By 1929, when he was the sole surviving brother, John Ringling had bought every traveling circus in the country, including the Barnum & Bailey Circus and Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show. He had a circus monopoly and was one of the wealthiest men in the United States when he completed building Cà d'Zan in 1926.
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| click to enlarge | detail from the front door |
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The last three photographs are taken on the front side of the house, standing in essentially the same spot. They show the thorough attention to detail and beautiful craftsmanship that is applied to every inch of the exterior.
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| visitsouth.com | photo by Roger Wollstadt |
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| click to enlarge |
The rear of Cà d'Zan is a magnificent example of Gothic Venetian architecture. The architect was Dwight James Baum of New York, and the builder was Owen Burns, who was a major developer of Sarasota, Florida.
My blogging friend Rosemary of
Where Five Valleys Meet has noted Cà d'Zan's resemblance to the Palazzo Pisani-Moretta on the Grand Canal. Leave it to John Ringling to enlarge and expand upon the theme!
In previous photos, and the one below, you can see that Cà d'Zan's windows are all stained glass of subtle pastel shades.
My friends and I toured the outside of Cà d'Zan for free, but elected not to pay admission to see the inside, which is a limited and relatively expensive tour, requiring one to stay on a narrow carpet and refrain from photo-taking. In any event, it's experiencing the outside of Cà d'Zan that makes a trip to Sarasota a lovely and successful day trip.
John Ringling struggled during the Great Depression, fighting desperately to save his house and art collection. According to Wikipedia, when he died in 1936, he had $311 in his bank account.
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Hello Mark:
ReplyDeleteA truly remarkable building which would not in the least look out of place lining a Venetian canal nor, come to that, here in Budapest where there is a preponderance of architecture which draws on similar sources of design influence. The details which you show here really are amazing and the quality of the work, if one is to judge from a photograph, outstanding.
But to look at the Sorine portraits, neither sitter appears totally at ease, perhaps a slight discomfort at being amongst such riches - a far cry from the circus tent.
Hello, Jane and Lance:
DeleteOne does expect to see several gondolas float by, though the view from the rear of the house is in fact a wide vista of Sarasota Bay, with the Gulf of Mexico beyond.
I don't know, but I imagine that the architect Baum visited Venice with the Ringlings, and together they took stock of all the details they liked the best. Wouldn't that have been a fun trip for eavesdropping?
I suppose that the Ringling's expressions do reflect a certain unease, and I'm also guessing that they felt more comfortable in Sarasota society than when they were in New York.
Dear Mark - what a pleasure it is to see and enjoy this wonderful Gothic Venetian house. However, I am really disappointed not to have seen it myself. As you know, we have visited Anna Maria Island three times recently, and to think that I missed out on seeing this, which is so near to where we stayed.The painted details are exquisite, the acanthus leaves entwined with flowers in soft pretty colours, the lovely brickwork, and especially those pastel stained glass windows.
ReplyDeleteThe rear view could almost be Palazzo Pisani Moretta on the Grand Canal, Venice.
Dear Rosemary -
DeleteThe glazed tile of this building is gorgeous, and it is everywhere, including under the eaves. I have become an instant fan of baby blue with terra cotta! The house looks very fresh since more than $-million was recently spent on a facelift, and on the inside. I wish I could have shown more images of the front of Cà d'Zan, but all the best shots there were facing directly into the sun.
You are certainly right about Cà d'Zan's resemblence to the Palazzo Pisani Moretta, and I will add that to the posting — thanks!
Dear Rosemary -
DeleteThe glazing on the outside of this house is truly gorgeous, and it is everywhere, including under the eaves. I have become an instant fan of baby blue with terra cotta. I would have shown more images from the front of the house, but unfortunately all those shots were facing directly into the sun.
You're right about Cà d'Zan's resemblence to the Palazzo Pisani Moretta, and I will add that to the posting — thanks!
Dear Rosemary -
DeleteThe glazing on the outside of this house is truly gorgeous, and it is everywhere, including under the eaves. I have become an instant fan of baby blue with terra cotta. I would have shown more images from the front of the house, but unfortunately all those shots were facing directly into the sun.
You're right about Cà d'Zan's resemblance to the Palazzo Pisani Moretta, and I will add that to the posting — thanks!
March a stunning, architecturally delightful property!
ReplyDeletexoxo
Karena
Art by Karena
Hi, Karena - I think you have picked the perfect term — delightful!
DeleteFascinating building! I can't recall ever seeing windows made of stained glass panes. Also the glazed corinthian columns, didn't ancient greeks colour /paint their buildings?
ReplyDeleteI was inside the house years ago and can report that every day looks lovely when viewed through light stained glass. And yes, the ancient Greeks did color those buildings we like to think of as pristine white marble.
DeleteAlso thinking that two toned brick /stone work is a dying art.
DeleteOh Mark! This is an explosion of motif design. I love your shots and you can tell no money was spared on embellishing. Thanks for sharing this one.
ReplyDeleteHi, Theresa! You're right about the explosion of motif design, an architectural wedding cake. Cà d'Zan was built at the height of John Ringling's financial success and shortly before his ruin. He unfortunately had little time to enjoy the place.
DeleteI like the notion of dying with only $311 in my checking account.......but I suppose I don't have children/heirs. I've always wanted to visit this house -maybe this upcoming winter!
ReplyDeleteHi, Stefan - There is a Zen niceness to Ringling's ending (if he were so disposed to believe that too!). Mabel died before John, and I don't believe they had children.
DeleteThe Ringling estate is more than a full day's visit, what with Cà d'Zan, the art museum and the circus museum.
Hi Mark -
ReplyDeleteThanks for all the photos! Cà d'Zan really looks like it belongs in Venice---especially with the bay in front. The architecture, craftsmanship, details, materials and homage to Venice are all amazing!! I'm with you: much more interested in the exterior! There is so much to admire and enjoy just from the outside. I'd love to visit one day. Cheers, Loi
I hope you get that chance. I can steer you to a great French cafe on Sarasota's Main Street.
DeleteHello Mark, I have been traveling and away from computers for about a week now, and how pleasant to be welcomed back to the internet by your twin articles on the Ca d'Zan and the Ringling collection.
ReplyDeleteIt would be intersting to know how the Ringlings lived among all these treaures. One thing is clear: As much help as Ringling had in building his home and collection, evevy inch and every article expresses his interests and personality.
--Road to Parnassus
Hello, Parnassus! Welcome back to Ruffneria.
ReplyDeleteThe Ringlings filled their house with things massive, often buying rooms or parts of rooms from European buildings.
John Ringling was a clothes horse and wore whatever was in the latest fashion. Early in life he had a big mustache that one would associate with the turn of the last century, and by the 1930s, he was clean-shaven and wearing Art Deco ties. His private bathroom had a barber's chair, and while he obviously had his hair cut at home, I'm left wondering whether or not he shaved himself. (Ringling's bathroom was actually my favorite part of the interior.)
I've heard of this home, but never visited nor seen photos. What whimisical and delightful architecture. I admire those early 20th century decades of referencing the architecture of different countries and eras; it is never dull. I particularly admire the colourful zigzag paving of different coloured marble.
ReplyDeleteI would assume many of the craftsmen were Italian...am I stating the obvious?
Hi, Terry -
ReplyDeleteI would not be surprised if Italian craftsmen worked on Cà d'Zan, but I can tell you that the marble used was both domestic and imported, and the roof tiles were imported from Spain.
It's an irony that the original cost of the mansion was $1.5-million, and the recent renovations were ten times that cost.