Brotherhoods lent stability to religious and civic life. These wealthy institutions also commissioned paintings.
Early Renaissance in Venice
10 inches—that’s how far Venice has sunk. As sea levels and tourism rise, can this historic city survive?
Saving Venice
This canvas was rolled, varnished, reworked, and revised again. A classical scene, it once hung in a study.
Giovanni Bellini and Titian,The Feast of the ...
Now in Technicolor! Mantegna’s saturated paint and vivid illusionism bring the Court of Heaven to life.
Andrea Mantegna, San Zeno Altarpiece
Their island climate didn’t suit fresco, so the Venetians tried oils instead—these paints blend when wet.
Oil paint in Venice
Bellini opens up this painting’s space, but holds the viewer at bay. The mood is calm, solemn, and contemplative.
Giovanni Bellini, San Zaccaria Altarpiece
Mantegna was fascinated by perspective. His radical foreshortening and realism focus attention on Christ’s wounds.
Andrea Mantegna, Dead Christ
With its decorative marble and golden light, this space looks a lot like San Marco. Shall we? St. Francis beckons.
Giovanni Bellini, San Giobbe Altarpiece
Head’s up—that plant’s about to fall! These Roman emperors may seem grave, but there’s plenty to smile at here.
Andrea Mantegna, Camera Picta (Camera degli Sposi)
Mantegna’s draped figures resurrect classical sculpture, but the landscape was from life—that’s Renaissance Mantua.
Andrea Mantegna, Dormition (or Death) of the ...
Roman rubble litters the ground at St. Sebastian’s feet. His nude body also recalls the antique past.
Andrea Mantegna, Saint Sebastian
Reinterpreting a familiar narrative, Bellini imbues the natural world with symbolism.
Giovanni Bellini, St. Francis in the Desert ...
This palace no longer shimmers with gold, but its harmonious balconies and bright colors still attract the eye.
Ca’ d’Oro
How’s that for a first impression? Open to the lagoon, this eclectic palace greets visitors with a rhythmic front.
Palazzo Ducale
Venice’s watery streets inspired generations of painters, while its port supplied them with pigments and oils.