Venetian painting is characterized by deep, rich colors and a strong interest in the effects of light.
1400 - 1500
Venetian painting is characterized by deep, rich colors and a strong interest in the effects of light.
1400 - 1500
Venice had everything—a stable republican government led by a Doge (“Duke”), wealth from trade, and a unique location as a gateway between Western Europe and the Byzantine Empire.
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What are Persian carpets, a peacock, and a cucumber doing in a painting of The Annunciation?
What do a cucumber, a fly, figures in turbans, and ancient reliefs tell us about the Madonna and Child?
Printing and publishing in fifteenth century Venice, the Silicon Valley of its day
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.
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