S1204 Venice and the World: from its Origins to Today (S1204)

Can Venice be considered an early example of globalized art and architecture? Can it still survive, together with its environment, in a significant and lively connection with contemporary society? The aim of this course is to try to find a possible answer to such intriguing questions.

As a maritime power and a multicultural trading city, since its ancient origins and during the almost ten centuries of life of the Republic, Venice was in relationship with people of different nations and cultures, who provided new approaches, suggestions and improvements to its art and architecture. The wealth of its inhabitants, together with the economic and cultural dialogue with the Middle East (Byzantium, Egypt, the Turks), but also with Northern Europe (Germany, the Flanders, the Low Countries), Central Italy (Florence, Rome) and other Italian cities (Padua, Ferrara, Milan) offered, throughout the centuries, extraordinary occasions for the creation of a unique language, open to a wide range of influences and inputs, but always characterized by a fundamental interest in color, which is for sure the peculiar connecting element in Venetian art.

Now an undeniable and renowned highlight in world artistic heritage, Venice is however affected by problems connected to the survival of its fragile environment and the preservation of its masterpieces of art, if not of the city itself, with its population decreasing and the number of tourists growing. For this reason, the complex problem of its safeguarding and preservation will be explored focusing on the activity of the UNESCO Private Committees Joint Programme for the Safeguarding of Venice. Moreover, the relationship between the city’s cultural heritage and tourism will be analyzed starting from St Mark’s basilica as a study case. Another focus will be put on Rialto area, an international centre of trade probably since the 7^th century, considering it not only under the lens of the past, but also in a present (and future?) perspective; no less important are the premises of the different foreign communities (Jews, Greeks, Dalmatians, Albanians, Turks), which gave  life to an extraordinary melting pot.

In parallel, the course traces back the development of Venetian art and architecture from its origins to the late 16^th century, passing through the analysis of Gothic art, to concentrate on major Early Renaissance painters and architects.  In the 16^th century the main focus is primarily on the work of Titian (the painter to whom the highest international patronage and fame were granted), Tintoretto and Veronese and on the architecture of Sansovino and Palladio.

This course goes beyond the simple identification and dating of a given painting or building and aims at a deep understanding of the Venetian society from the origins of the city to the end of the 16^th century: internal and international politics (the doge and the structure of the Republic; political and cultural relationships with other Mediterranean and European countries) and social organization of the Venetian state (welfare and public assistance: Scuole and Ospedali).

Lectures in class are supplemented by visits to churches and museums of Venice.

Expected Learning Outcomes.

The aim of this course is to provide a critical approach to Venice in its complex reality, taking into account

the many complementary aspects of the Venetian civilization. Students will acquire and use the specific language of art history and architecture to communicate and interact in class. They will be able to give a presentation according to the guidelines offered by the instructor and write short texts/essays about specific artworks or artists considering them from an interdisciplinary point of view.

Evaluation Method:

Students will be required to take a midterm written submission, give a seminar presentation and a final paper.

The final grade will be based on:

Intellectual engagement and participation in class

-         Contribution to group work

-         Asking questions when something is not clear

-         Using and expanding on the new vocabulary

-         Active engagement in class discussions

-         The use of laptop in class is not allowed

Written submission and seminar presentation

This category includes two tests (on dates indicated on the syllabus) (25% each).

1. Report on a specific aspect of one topic from the1^st section of the course, exploring it with outside personal research.
2. Individual seminar presentation on a specific subject selected within the frame of “Rialto project”

Final paper

A short paper on a specific topic agreed with the instructor is due as final project.