Art Appreciation: Painters of the Venetian Renaissance

Concentrating on the major figures in the flowering of their art scene, in competition, of course, with Florence, we will start with an introduction to this amazing place leading on to descriptions of the lives and work of their most celebrated Renaissance artists. We shall cover artists at the very start of their artistic revolution – men whose work was shipped all across the Mediterranean. Then on to the main figures of their very own renaissance, led by the largest and most successful studio of the day, run by the Bellini brothers. Then the major figures, Giorgione and Titian and ending up with the quintessential display artist – Veronese. The artistic rivalry between these two influential cities – Venice and Florence – is best summed up by the words used at the time to describe the important feature of their art. Florence was renowned for “disegno”, the concentration on the drawing needed to get the anatomy and musculature of their subjects completely correct, as well as the importance of absolutely mathematical precision about the depiction of perspective. Whereas Venice was famous for “colorito” – the gleaming expanses of brilliant colour in the use of the newish technique of oil painting. This technique used both the effects from the glimmering light from the water everywhere and the privileged access gained from being the premier port for the trade in pigments, thus buying them at their newest and best.