Stories Of Venice And The Venetians

The Republic of Venice was the first great economic, cultural, and naval power of the modern Western world. After winning the struggle for ascendency in the late 13th century, the Republic enjoyed centuries of unprecedented glory and built a trading empire which at its apogee reached as far afield as China, Syria, and West Africa. This golden period only drew to an end with the Republic’s eventual surrender to Napoleon. The Venetians illuminates the character of the Republic during these illustrious years by shining a light on some of the most celebrated personalities of European history—Petrarch, Marco Polo, Galileo, Titian, Vivaldi, Casanova... Frequently, though, these emblems of the city found themselves at odds with the Venetian authorities, who prized stability above all else and were notoriously suspicious of any "cult of personality." Was this very tension perhaps the engine for the Republic’s unprecedented rise? Rich with biographies of some of the most exalted characters who have ever lived, The Venetians is a refreshing and authoritative new look at the history of the most evocative of city-states.

For six centuries the Republic of Venice was a maritime empire, its sovereign power extending throughout much of the eastern Mediterranean – an empire of coasts, islands and isolated fortresses by which, as Wordsworth wrote, the mercantile Venetians 'held the gorgeous east in fee'. Jan Morris reconstructs the whole of this glittering dominion in the form of a sea-voyage, travelling along the historic Venetian trade routes from Venice itself to Greece, Crete and Cyprus. It is a traveller's book, geographically arranged but wandering at will from the past to the present, evoking not only contemporary landscapes and sensations but also the characters, the emotions and the tumultuous events of the past. The first such work ever written about the Venetian ‘Stato da Mar’, it is an invaluable historical companion for visitors to Venice itself and for travellers through the lands the Doges once ruled.

Tracing the development of Venetian fashion and their appearance in contemporary works of art, this book discusses the unique attitude of the Venetian Republic to the dress of its patricians, its citizens and its women, as well as to the dress of foreigners. It relies extensively on the views of the Senate on dress, and considers Venice's contempt for the current fashions in the rest of Italy. There is also a discussion of the position of the tailors of Venice and their methods of work as well as an invaluable appendix detailing the textiles then in use at the time.This book is essential to students and teachers of the history of art, the history of dress and the theatre as well as to those interested in Venetian social life during the period covered, and in Italian renaissance studies.

A beautifully illustrated book exploring a unique take on Venice for curious travellers, lovers of history, art, architecture and the environmentally sensitive. This book also conveys a pervasive message of deep environmental and climactic concerns and the tragedy of how a Renaissance Empire has been turned into a contemporary amusement park. A Sketch of Venetian History will enchant, educate and challenge readers.Venice remains one of the jewels of Italy, of Europe, of the world. It is universally recognized as part of the artistic and architectural patrimony of humanity and in 1987 was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site. It receives over 22 million visitors each year!Since the fall of the Venetian Republic in 1797, Venezia has held an unrivalled place in the world's imagination and has inspired writers of prose and poetry, artists of all sorts, photographers, film makers, tourists and more. Yet, most people do not know the story of Venice. This book offers a unique portrait of Venice and weaves together many diverse subjects &– art, ecology, travel, history, all enriched by original line drawings of a unique style found on every page.A Sketch of Venetian History illuminates the Venetian Republic's history through six major eras &– from its early ecological formations, through its modest beginnings, to the height and potency of the Grand Republic, to its collapse and to its modern day challenges posed by environmentalism and massive tourism.

Finally available, a high quality book of the original classic edition of Venice and its Story. It was previously published by other bona fide publishers, and is now, after many years, back in print. This is a new and freshly published edition of this culturally important work by Thomas Okey, which is now, at last, again available to you. Get the PDF and EPUB NOW as well. Included in your purchase you have Venice and its Story in EPUB AND PDF format to read on any tablet, eReader, desktop, laptop or smartphone simultaneous - Get it NOW. Enjoy this classic work today. These selected paragraphs distill the contents and give you a quick look inside Venice and its Story: Look inside the book: Who of us northmen that has reached the descending slope of an Alpine pass, it may be through mist and sleet and snow, to gaze upon the rich and luscious plains of Lombardy or Venetia smiling with vine and fruit and corn; who that has felt the warm breath of sun-steeped Italy caressing his face as he emerges from northern gloom, but will feel a twinge of envy which is akin to covetousness, and which in strong and masterful races quickly develops into lust of conquest? ...Romanin argues from the silence of the chroniclers that the Venetians took no active part in the siege of Pavia, but from an old inscription in Venetian, on a thin plate of hammered lead, preserved in the British Museum, we learn that on the invitation of Charlemagne, the Venetians sent a fleet of twenty-four galleys, with four nobles who knew the art of war (saveva far la guara) up the Po to the siege, and had the honour of guarding the captive King.