THE VENETIAN SCHOOL OF COLOR:

Venetian painters had greater access to all kinds of pigments than the other artists. Venetian painters also used glass enamels produced by the furnaces in Murano, obtaining marvelous effects of color and light. More than any other city in Italy,

Venice was in direct contact with Constantinople and the Greek world. This allowed for an absorption of Byzantine art, and permitted the Venetians propose these styles on the local art market.

This direct contact with Byzantine art has reverberated on Venetian painting for centuries. On the other hand, Venetian contacts with Germany were constant and strong. There was a very lively German community in Venice, with artists like Albrecht Durer working locally.

The Northern approach to the depiction of natural landscapes and human figures was of great importance in the artistic development of all great Venetian Renaissance and post renaissance painters. Venice was a Republic where power was held by a certain number of ‘noble’ families, and where none ever prevailed on the others.

Examining Venetian painting also allows for exploration into the peculiarities of Venetian society, family relations, spiritual and religious life, interaction between artist and patrons.