The Rededication of the Crypt

The morning of the spring equinox brought a radiant, crystalline brilliance to the Venetian lagoon that seemed to wash away every shadow of winter. Along the Grand Canal, outside the watergate of Palazzo delle Ombre, a fleet of thirty polished mahogany water taxis and ceremonial barges was moored against the striped briccole poles. Over two hundred of the world's most distinguished art historians, museum directors, conservation scientists, and European cultural…