Venice

Venetian painting is characterized by deep, rich colors and a strong interest in the effects of light.

1400 - 1500

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Brotherhoods lent stability to religious and civic life. These wealthy institutions also commissioned paintings.

10 inches—that’s how far Venice has sunk. As sea levels and tourism rise, can this historic city survive?

This canvas was rolled, varnished, reworked, and revised again. A classical scene, it once hung in a study.

Now in Technicolor! Mantegna’s saturated paint and vivid illusionism bring the Court of Heaven to life.

Their island climate didn’t suit fresco, so the Venetians tried oils instead—these paints blend when wet.

Bellini opens up this painting’s space, but holds the viewer at bay. The mood is calm, solemn, and contemplative.

Mantegna was fascinated by perspective. His radical foreshortening and realism focus attention on Christ’s wounds.

With its decorative marble and golden light, this space looks a lot like San Marco. Shall we? St. Francis beckons.

Head’s up—that plant’s about to fall! These Roman emperors may seem grave, but there’s plenty to smile at here.

Mantegna’s draped figures resurrect classical sculpture, but the landscape was from life—that’s Renaissance Mantua.

Roman rubble litters the ground at St. Sebastian’s feet. His nude body also recalls the antique past.

Reinterpreting a familiar narrative, Bellini imbues the natural world with symbolism.

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