At the dawn of the sixteenth century, the republic of Venice emerged as a critical hub for international trade and a thriving artistic center. Patronage from the oligarchic government, church communities, lay confraternities, and wealthy individuals fostered intense creative activity. The innovations of celebrated masters, including Vittore Carpaccio, Titian, Paris Bordone, Jacopo Tintoretto, and Paolo Veronese, had a profound influence on art in Venice and its territories as well as on the works of such foreign visitors as Albrecht Dürer.
This selection of exceptional works from the Morgan's collection chronicles a remarkable period of artistic creativity in Venice. Covering a wide range of subjects—including landscape, portraiture, religious and civic life, technical innovations, and the role of foreign artists—the drawings, maps, and books presented here offer a fresh look at this seminal moment in history and art.
This online exhibition is presented in conjunction with the exhibition Renaissance Venice: Drawings from the Morgan (May 18-December 23, 2012), organized by guest curator Rhoda Eitel-Porter. It is based on research by Rhoda Eitel-Porter and Laura B. Zukerman.
Major funding for this exhibition is provided by the Alex Gordon Fund for Exhibitions.
Generous support is provided by The Gladys Krieble Delmas Foundation and by Robert B. Loper, with additional assistance from members of the Visiting Committee to the Department of Drawings and Prints.