Venice was no less a city of marvels in the renaissance than it is today. It was the meeting-place of east and west, physically unique, enviably powerful and fabulously wealthy – qualities reflected in its art and architecture. This lecture focuses on the era of Bellini and Carpaccio, whose paintings provide eyewitness accounts of life in Venice around 1500. Together with landmarks such as San Marco, the Arsenale and the Colleoni monument, and artefacts including glassware and platform shoes, they allow us to immerse ourselves in this incomparable city at one of the richest periods in its artistic life.
Paula Nuttall is a specialist in Renaissance art, both Italian and northern European, on which she has published widely, notably From Flanders to Florence: the Impact of Netherlandish Painting 1400-1500 (Yale, 2004). Paula has collaborated on major exhibitions including Jan van Eyck: an Optical Revolution (Ghent, 2020). Before retiring in 2023 Paula was Director of the V&A Medieval and Renaissance Year Course, and has taught at – among others – the Courtauld Institute and the British Institute of Florence. She now focuses on the Arts Society, her own online courses, and research