Art & Life in Renaissance Venice (Abrams Perspectives)

What was Venice like during the Renaissance, at the height of its power? Who lived in this most cosmopolitan of cities? How did its art differ from that of mainland Italy, and why?

Interweaving art-historical analysis of Renaissance painting, sculpture, architecture, and decorative arts with detailed contextual discussions, Patricia Fortini Brown brings Venice alive. She explores the role of the guilds and the nobility, the influence of the church, the political rivalries with other states, the taste for symbols and metaphors -- the myriad qualities that made Venice distinct and its art unique.

Through close examination of Renaissance paintings, drawings, book illustrations, and other art works, Patricia Fortini Brown brings fourteenth—fifteenth century Venice alive. She explores the role of the guilds and the nobility, the unique island setting, the environment of the church and the private home, the political rivalries with other states, the taste for symbols and metaphorsQthe myriad qualities that made Venice distinct and its art unique. Carefully interweaving art-historical analysis of individual works (both famous and little-known) with rich contextual discussions, she reveals a culture of high beauty, artifice, and craftsmanship.