As the sounds of Vivaldi's "Four Seasons" came down the canals, Venetians turned and saw an unusual sight over the weekend: a gigantic 39-foot violin with a string quartet on board making its way down ...

Noah had an Ark, that much we all know. According to Italian artist Livio De Marchi, Noah also had a violin and it was a giant wooden one that doubled as a boat, and it just launched last Friday.

Venice is an iconic landmark—a city built atop a body of water whose long history and stunning views have inspired great works of art over the centuries. It is also, as of last weekend, the only place ...