A history of Venetian art from the 15th century onwards. This covers the golden era of Venice as a centre for painting and sculpture that exported its style, technique, and artists throughout Italy and beyond.

The focus is sufficiently narrow to let a reader with only a fairly superficial knowledge of art history (like me) to see the progression in the styles and concerns of the artists being profiled. Moving from Bellini to Giorgone to Titian to Tintoretto, with copious illustrations, makes their relationships clear in ways that broader histories obscure.

There are some deep dives into specific pictures, such as Veronese’s Last supper, plus consideration of the city itself as a stage for art, and the role of women artists who achieved a surprising (for the period) fame and appreciation amongst collectors. The history is brought up to date by considering how modern artists have painted Venice, as well as the impact that the biennalle has had on the careers of recent artists.

All in all this is a fabulous book, gorgeously illustrated, with chapters self-contained enough to be dipped-into, but with depths that capture how artists and their art evolve over their own lifetimes.

5/5. Finished Thursday 26 September, 2024.

(Originally published on Goodreads.)