COURSE DESCRIPTION

Explore another world: the Venice of Carnival, courtesans, Canaletto and Vivaldi.

It’s often argued that Venice underwent a period of long decline in the seventeenth century due to the decline of Mediterranean trade. But culturally, the city reached new glories - the music of Monteverdi and Vivaldi, the architecture of Longhena, the painting of Tiepolo and Canaletto all come to mind quite readily. In this course we take a deeper look into Venice from its baroque splendour to the birth of the Biennale.

We begin with the development of unique forms of art and music in late sixteenth- and seventeenth-century Venice. Explaining the rise of these new cultural icons, however, takes us deep into the culture of Venice and the new economies the Venetians found to make up the shortfall - the Carnival and potential of the city to inspire mystery, gambling and flirtation.

We then turn to the rise of vedutismo - the artists whose subjects ranged from views of the Grand Canal and Basin of St Marks, the Canalettos ever popular among Venice’s aristocratic visitors, to the genre scenes by artists such as Pietro Longhi which show so much of the everyday life and humours of the Venetians. The proliferation of these genres provides a window into Venice, and a rich contrast between the ‘postcard’ view and the practice of everyday life.

But Venice also had a darker side in this period - a thriving sex industry and a succession of witchcraft trials - which reveals to us the city’s underbelly and the attempts by civil and religious authorities to exert their authority over it. The Republic’s control over this industry was vital for the city - the taxes sex workers paid were a significant revenue stream - but maintaining a sense of public order and decorum was essential for Venice’s public image.

The final session takes you from the fall of Venice to Napoleon to the birth of the Biennale. The nineteenth century in Venice is fascinating, if you look in unexpected places - the retrofitting of sewerage systems, the connection of the city to electricity, the arrival of the railway, for example - and how these have fundamentally reshaped the city for travellers. The modernisation of Venice is itself a feat and tells the story of how a city got itself back to the forefront of modern economics through art.

COURSE CONTENT

Session 1: Baroque Venice (Robert Veel)

Session 2: The Art of the View: Canaletto, Guardi, Longhi and Venetian vedutismo (Dr Kathleen Olive)

Session 3: Courtesans and witchcraft in sixteenth- and seventeenth-century Venice (Dr Will Visconti)

Session 4: Modern Venice: from Napoleon to the Biennale (Dr Nick Gordon)

LECTURERs

Dr Kathleen Olive is well known to Italian enthusiasts for her lectures and seminars, including popular short courses at the WEA, Sydney, and national lectures for the Australian Decorative and Fine Arts Association (ADFAS). She has worked as a cultural tour leader for over 15 years, with deep expertise in Italy, and in France, Spain and Japan. Her published research on a Renaissance Italian manuscript, the so-called Codex Rustici, was presented to Pope Francis I in 2015 as the official gift of the Florentine Curia.

Dr Nick Gordon is a cultural historian and holds a PhD in history from the University of Sydney. His research into medieval and Renaissance Europe has won numerous academic awards and scholarships, including the University Medal in history from the University of Sydney, and has been published in prestigious peer-reviewed journals. Nick has over 15 years’ experience as a lecturer to university and public audiences.

Robert Veel has more than 20 years experience teaching the history, art and music of Italy, and a particular passion for all things Venetian. Robert lectured at the University of Sydney before turning to leading life-long learning programs at the Centre for Continuing Education, where he also served as Assistant Director. In addition, Robert has led small group cultural tours to Italy for 30 years, is a founding director of Academy Travel and the publisher of Limelight magazine.

Dr Will Visconti has a PhD in French Studies and Italian Studies from the University of Sydney. His research ranges across numerous disciplines - literature, history, cultural studies, theatre and art history. He has taught art history, French and Italian at the University of Sydney, where he is an Adjunct Lecturer, and at Central St Martins, London. His research focuses on sex, the arts and transgression in history, and how contemporary performance continues to draw inspiration from historical performers and venues.

COURSE STRUCTURE

4 x 1.5 hour sessions. Each session includes an interactive lecture and time for questions and discussion.