What made Venetian painting so distinctive, and so accessible and alluring? The beauty of Venice itself, shimmering water and marble revetments, must have been a factor, as was the city’s Byzantine heritage of golden mosaics and luxury textiles. That Venice was one of the world’s great trading emporia, with links to the eastern Mediterranean and northern Europe, as well as the rest of Italy, undoubtedly contributed. Artists were able to appropriate ideas and innovations from their international connections and had access to the finest pigments.

In this series, two outstanding art historians tell the story of Venetian painting from the mid-15th century to the end of the 16th. They take six of the most prominent artists and identify each with a characteristic body of subject matter, workshop practice, or social, religious and intellectual context.

Six online weekly talks take place every Tuesday until 19 April at 4.30pm (GMT). They are available for viewing for eight weeks after the last episode is streamed (14 June 2022).

A proportion of each subscription will be donated to Venice in Peril when you use referral code: VIP

To book or for further information click here