Venice: Lion City

Rating:
Summary: Venice: Lion City
Review: This book provides some interesting artistic and historic insights to lovers of Venice, but it is a difficult "read" and is often strained in its interpretations and conclusions. It also presumes a fairly advanced knowledge of Venetian art and history. In addition, there are various out-and-out errors: For example, on pg. 19, the Italian word "fondaco" is wrong-- it should be "fondamento"; on pg. 21, the saint identified as Stephen is actually Sebastian; on pg. 264, St. Sebastian's date, stated unequivocally to be 4th century A.D., could just as well have been 3rd century, since sources differ on the point. I would have expected a higher degree of accuracy from this author.

Rating:
Summary: Venice: Lion City
Review: This book provides some interesting artistic and historic insights to lovers of Venice, but it is a difficult "read" and is often strained in its interpretations and conclusions. It also presumes a fairly advanced knowledge of Venetian art and history. In addition, there are various out-and-out errors: For example, on pg. 19, the Italian word "fondaco" is wrong-- it should be "fondamento"; on pg. 21, the saint identified as Stephen is actually Sebastian; on pg. 264, St. Sebastian's date, stated unequivocally to be 4th century A.D., could just as well have been 3rd century, since sources differ on the point. I would have expected a higher degree of accuracy from this author.

Rating:
Summary: Intriguing scholarship, but sometimes heavy reading
Review: This unusual book looks at the history of the Venetian Republic through the eyes of a cultural historian, with special emphasis on the visual symbols of Venetian uniqueness. While the early chapters and the concluding chapter give us intelligent but conventional history writing, much of the book focuses on Wills' interpretations of Venetian Renaissance art and architecture. His intriguing scholarly observations place these works in the context of Venetian history, politics, and society. Wills also highlights many of Venice's most striking personalities. The book is extensively illustrated with black and white reproductions; a central section presents 31 color plates. Readers with a strong interest in the visual arts will find this book fascinating. Other readers may find the second half heavy going.

Rating:
Summary: Intriguing scholarship, but sometimes heavy reading
Review: This unusual book looks at the history of the Venetian Republic through the eyes of a cultural historian, with special emphasis on the visual symbols of Venetian uniqueness. While the early chapters and the concluding chapter give us intelligent but conventional history writing, much of the book focuses on Wills' interpretations of Venetian Renaissance art and architecture. His intriguing scholarly observations place these works in the context of Venetian history, politics, and society. Wills also highlights many of Venice's most striking personalities. The book is extensively illustrated with black and white reproductions; a central section presents 31 color plates. Readers with a strong interest in the visual arts will find this book fascinating. Other readers may find the second half heavy going.

Rating:
Summary: Great Art Appreciation, Bad History
Review: Though Mr. Willis clearly read everything there was to read about Venice and saw nearly every work of art to be found in that city of splendor, ultimately his effort comes up short. His historical analysis drew too heavily on overwrought, far fetched intrepretations of art. An entertaining piece on Venetian art history; a bad attempt at historical insight.

Rating:
Summary: Art History 312: Renaissance Venice
Review: VENICE: LION CITY is essentially a text book for an art history course. Garry Wills demonstrates how every aspect of society, government and religion that made Venice a great power is expressed in painting, sculpture and architecture of the 15th and 16th centuries.

Wills pulls together a wide range of scholarship and makes it--in one rather compact volume--accessible to the general reader. While it may be a bit dry, the book is interesting and relatively brisk reading.

If you're a Venetophile and would like to know more about art and society at the Serene Republic's height, you should enjoy VENICE: LION CITY.

Rating:
Summary: Art History 312: Renaissance Venice
Review: VENICE: LION CITY is essentially a text book for an art history course. Garry Wills demonstrates how every aspect of society, government and religion that made Venice a great power is expressed in painting, sculpture and architecture of the 15th and 16th centuries.

Wills pulls together a wide range of scholarship and makes it--in one rather compact volume--accessible to the general reader. While it may be a bit dry, the book is interesting and relatively brisk reading.

If you're a Venetophile and would like to know more about art and society at the Serene Republic's height, you should enjoy VENICE: LION CITY.