Ca` d'Zan

'Enjoyed breakfast at ye ole Spring Hill....it was more than one would expect for a "continental breakfast". Another beautiful day (but the clouds will roll in later--you can "take it to the bank").

Today's focus is the Art Museum and estate of John and Mable Ringling. It is VERY near this hotel. We planned to open the place at 10am....and we were NOT alone! The grounds are huge but they offer a tram service between the venues so it's not so bad. (It would be a killer to walk it in this heat.)

We started with a visit to the Circus Museum's Tibbals Learning Center. Following the short orientation film, we enjoyed the enormous miniature display....it is AMAZING! Master model builder, Howard Tibbals, created this over a period of 50 years. He called the project the "Howard Circus Model" but it is a composite of The Ringling Brothers (originally there were 5) and Barnum and Bailey Circus from 1919 to 1938. Everything is there...from the arrival by railcars to the 8 tents, 152 wagons, 1300 perfomers and staff, 800+ animals and a 59 car train. Tons of the human figures (covering both ends of the performances) as well as the "back story". Buildings in the mythical town, equipment (right down to the dishwashing process) and, of course, the Midway. They even baked their own bread....40 cooks/ 3 meals a day/ almost 1500 people to be fed....AND a portable facility....NO SMALL PROJECT! The display is big but the concept is HUGE! We did not get to the second floor but Tom went back later (while I shopped!).

Next stop was the Art Museum. To say John Ringling was a collector....doesn't even come close to the reality. He must have searched widely in Western Europe for this wonderful artwork. Superior paintings....some of gigantic size like "The Four Evangelists" by Reubens. He loved the Renaissance and the Baroque style. He especially liked art from Italy.....but he did not limit himself to that. The building was lavishly designed and built for the collection. It opened in 1931. In the center of the museum is an Italian-style formal courtyard complete with a large sculpture garden. It is crowned with the dominating prescence of Michaelangelo's 'David'....an exact duplicate of the one in Florence, Italy. The collection is worth MILLIONS. Our guide was very informative....and we were really tutored as no one else was in this tour group.

Next thing on the agenda is a tram over to "C` d'Zan"....translation from an old Venetian dialect: "house of John". The record indicates that it was REALLY her house. Mrs. Ringling was involved in every aspect of the designing and decorating of this very elaborate "winter home". The architect was Dwight James Baum of New York City. It was completed in 1926 and was the center of local (and not-so-local) cultural and social life. Many decoratives were purchased at New York auctions and even more distant places. The waterfront location and loggias opening to the sea, created wonderful entertaining options. Life here was quite formal....far different than their contemporaries, the Edisons and the Fords....but, more like Mr. Flagler's place in Palm Beach. It was the height of the Gilded Age which crashed with the stock market in 1929. Unfortunately, Mrs. Ringling only lived 3 years to enjoy all of this...dying in her early 50's. John grieved at length. He entered a disasterous second marriage, had a stroke, lost his fortunes, divorced and died in 1936....with $311 in his bank account. This was just 5 days before all of his remaining assets were scheduled to be seized in Court. Lucky, lucky heirs! There were no children. He left the entire estate (Museums and Theatre included)to "the people of Florida". It has been controlled by Florida State University since 2000. WHAT A GUY!

Time for lunch! We ate at the museum cafe, Treviso. It was terrific! Very lovely presentation and mucho ambience.

Tom went back to see more of the two Circus Museums while moi squandered the family fortunes in the museum store! We polished it all off by viewing a biographical film of the Ringlings and a short documentary about the 1798 Asolo Theatre (where we sat)which had been created in memory of the 15th century Queen of Cyprus, Catarina Cornaro. It had undergone change and neglect, but was purchased and brought to this site in the 1950's for a remarkable restoration. It is now a lovely performing arts venue.

After ALL of this....it was too late to go to the Dali Museum in St. Petersburg. Maybe tomorrow on the way out of town. Ooooops! Tomorrow is Sunday. The Museum does not open until noon. We will be long-gone by then. Too bad for us.