Venice 697-1797: A City, A Republic, An Empire - Hardcover

Zorzi, Aluise

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1585671320 ISBN 13: 9781585671328

Publisher: Abrams Press, 2009

Synopsis

Steeped in a history of great loves, political intrigues, and fervent religiosity, Venice is one of the most romantic and magnetic cities of the world. This splendidly and profusely illustrated volume tells the story of Venice through its art?during its period of grandeur as an independent city- state from the eighth to the eighteenth centuries. Alvise Zorzi reveals the growth of Venice from a small fishing village to a bustling metropolis whose cultural, political, and economic dominance extended over the entire Mediterranean world. In selecting the more than 340 full-color illustrations, Zorzi has brought together a sumptuous collection of paintings and drawings, photographs and engravings. In addition, specially created diagrams explain the distinctive techniques and styles of Venetian architecture, shipbuilding, and glass-blowing. A series of maps show the expansion of the city and its empire over the course of a thousand years, while charts describe the growth of Venetian commerce and manufacturing. These meticulous reproductions of the city¹s art bear witness to its cultural greatness.

About this title

About the Author:

Alvise Zorzi was born in Venice of an old noble family. He is the chairman of the Committee for the Publication of Source Material on the History of Venice. A well-known author, journalist and television personality, he divides his time between Venice and Rome. He has published many books on his native city, on subjects ranging from Marco Polo to San Marco to the Grand Canal.

From Library Journal:

Italian author and journalist Zorzi, a native of Venice, has published a number of books on the city (e.g., Venetian Palaces; Venice: A Journey of Dreams). As the title of his most recent work suggests, it traces the history of Venice from its earliest settlements to 1797, revealing the city's transformation from a small fishing village to a cultural and political metropolis. Using some 340 full-color illustrations, which include present-day photographs of the city and paintings from different eras, Zorzi generally follows a chronological development of the city but also groups his discussions by subject (e.g., architecture, shipbuilding, commerce and industry, wars, cooking). Zorzi also tackles some of the city's current problems of pollution, loss of manufacturing, and absentee landlords. Maps and charts scattered throughout are especially useful in tracing the city's thousand-year expansion. Although interesting, this book offers a somewhat superficial overview of Venice's history as more emphasis is placed on its coffee-table appeal (i.e., its illustrations) than the solidity of the text. Nevertheless, the book is so stunning that it can be recommended for all libraries. George M. Jenks, Bucknell Univ., Lewisburg, PA
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: Abrams Press
• Publication date: 2009
• ISBN 10: 1585671320
• ISBN 13: 9781585671328
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 320