Venice is a cluster of islands, connected by bridges and canals.
1400 - 1500
Venice was a very wealthy city, with a strong merchant class that helped shape its culture. Ships from the East brought luxurious, exotic pigments, while traders from Northern Europe imported the new technique of oil painting. Since oil dries slowly, the colors could be blended together to achieve subtle gradations.
By Dr. Heather Horton
Venice’s watery streets inspired generations of painters, while its port supplied them with pigments and oils.
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By Dr. Ellen Hurst
This palace no longer shimmers with gold, but its harmonious balconies and bright colors still attract the eye.
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By Dr. Ellen Hurst
How’s that for a first impression? Open to the lagoon, this eclectic palace greets visitors with a rhythmic front.
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By Dr. Lorenza Smith
Brotherhoods lent stability to religious and civic life. These wealthy institutions also commissioned paintings.
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