it attracted talent from the rest of italy-- men like jacopo sansovino, who brought from rome a language of architecture and sculpture ideal for venice's desire to impress. david rosand has analyzed the visual language of sansovino. at the foot of the campanile opposite the entrance to the doge's palace sansovino created a loggetta a small porch, whose monumental sculptural decoration and classical architectural form declared the virtues of the republic. the reigning image of the complex was the figure of venice herself-- venice triumphant, venice personified as justice-- the highest virtue of the state. to that traditional imagery, however sansovino brought a new kind of language from rome-- the language of the olympian gods. the figure of minerva represents wisdom-- the wisdom of the ancients, who were so clever as to have established this constitutional republic. the figure of mercury represents eloquence and eloquence is one of the fundamental political virtues of venice. we must also remember mercury is the god of commerce and that is the real foundation of venice. the figure of pea