The Art of Renaissance Venice

Dr Aneta Georgievska-Shine, lecturer in art history, University of Maryland.
A city at cultural and geographic crossroads, Venice was one of the most flourishing urban and artistic centres of the Italian Renaissance. The state and religious communities sponsored the construction of numerous buildings that reflected its prosperity, as well as its openness to new styles and ideals. Venetian artists from Bellini to Tintoretto introduced new subjects or re-invented traditional ones in a marvellous blend of naturalism and love of ornament. In addition to the cultural exchanges that influenced their approach, they were inspired by the extraordinary light found in this city on the sea to create masterpieces of colour that had few parallels. This two lecture course highlights the unique qualities of the Venetian art of the Renaissance.