The Return of the Buncintoro from S. Nicolò di Lido, c. 1778, Francesco Guardi, Italian (Venice), Italian (Venice), 1712-1793, 16 1/2 × 27 13/16 in. (41.9 × 70.6 cm) (sight)16 9/16 × 27 9/16 in. (42 × 70 cm) (sheet)25 1/4 × 36 1/8 × 1 3/4 in. (64.1 × 91.8 × 4.4 cm) (outer frame), Pen and brown ink and wash, over black chalk, Italy, 18th century, Venice, the island city whose romance pulls heartstrings all over the world, was once the seat of a powerful maritime empire. To recognize the source of its wealth and power, the city staged an annual ceremony symbolically marrying itself to the sea. The Doge, the citys ruler, set sail aboard his Bucintoro, a magnificent, gilded yacht powered by 168 oarsmen. The destination was a church on one of the barrier islands. There the Doge proclaimed 'Desponsamus te, mare, in signum veri perpetuique dominii' (We wed thee, sea, as a sign of true and everlasting domination) as he dropped a gold ring into the water.