The strange red sky is roiling with ominous gray clouds, riven with a thunderbolt, affording the painting a heavy, dynamic atmosphere.

The public square appears narrow to convey the tenseness of the abduction of Saint Mark's body.

Venice's ruling class wanted St. Mark as the patron saint for their economic status, so they arranged to smuggle his body from Egypt.

[4] When the doge died, his widow was ordered to build the Basilica di San Marco to house Mark.

[3] After re-appearing, Saint Mark's body was finally put in a sculptured coffin below the high altar in the chapel.