Cittadini of Venice: Shaping Identities Between Networks and Patronage (C. 1530-1690) (Art and Material Culture in Medieval and Renaissance Europe)

"In this volume Giulia Zanon sheds new light on our grasp of social hierarchy and the possibilities for social mobility in pre-modern Italy. By adopting an interdisciplinary approach that combines deep archival research with a multitude of artistic and architectural artefacts, this work breaks new ground by contextualizing the part played by social relationships and the arts in publicly affirming and displaying the prestige of the middling sorts, the cittadini, in early modern Venice"-- Provided by publisher Front cover Contents Figures Abbreviations Acknowledgements Introduction Research Context Sources and Methodology Structure 1 Membership and Administration of the scuole grandi 1 The Civic Role of the scuole grandi 2 The scuole grandi as ‘Little Republics’ for the cittadini 3 Precious Memories: Structure and Materiality of the Libri d’Argento 4 Social Ties, Admission and Membership in the Confraternities 4.1 Career Paths and Multiple Loyalties 5 Corruption and Regulation of scuole Governance 5.1 Family Bonds, Nepotism and Social Mobility 5.2 Guardian Grandi and the Neglect of contumacia in the Seventeenth Century 6 Conclusion 2 Cittadini Patronage in the scuole grandi 1 The Relationship between scuole and the Civic Unity of the cittadini 2 Processions and Rituals 3 Patronage of Books 4 Cittadini Artistic Patronage in Relation to the scuole 4.1 The Legislation on Patronage within the scuole grandi 4.2 Individual and Group Portraits in the scuole grandi 4.3 Inscriptions 4.4 Coats of Arms 4.5 The Commemoration of cittadini Legacy 5 Scuole Medals 6 Conclusion 3 Cittadini Cultural Networks 1 Lawyers of Venice: an Honourable Profession 2 The Early Creation of Cultural Networks: the Education of cittadini 3 The Intellectual Circle: Academies, ridotti and Friendships 4 Patrons and Friends of Writers 5 The Arts as a Cultural Gathering 5.1 Titian and the Venetian Lawyers 5.2 The Altars and the Chapels in the Church of San Sebastiano 5.3 The Taste for Antiquities 5.4 The Suburban Villa 6 Conclusion 4 Cittadini, Parishes and the Counter-Reformation 1 New Opportunities for Patronage: Church Reconstruction 2 Cittadini and Chapels within Parish Churches 3 Clergy, Laity and the Promotion of New Cults of Saints 4 Speaking Tombs: Burial Sites and Social Relationships 5 Conclusion Conclusion Bibliography Archives Primary Sources: Manuscripts Primary Sources: Printed Texts Secondary Sources Index Back cover