Venice : lion city : the religion of empire

Garry Wills's Venice: Lion City is a tour de force -- a rich, colorful, and provocative history of the world's most fascinating city in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, when it was at the peak of its glory. This was not the city of decadence, carnival, and nostalgia familiar to us from later centuries. It was a ruthless imperial city, with a shrewd commercial base, like ancient Athens, which it resembled in its combination of art and sea empire. Venice: Lion City presents a new way of relating the history of the city through its art and, in turn, illuminates the art through the city's history. It is illustrated with more than 130 works of art, 30 in full color. Garry Wills gives us a unique view of Venice's rulers, merchants, clerics, laborers, its Jews, and its women as they created a city that is the greatest art museum in the world, a city whose allure remains undiminished after centuries. Like Simon Schama's The Embarrassment of Riches, on the Dutch culture in the Golden Age, Venice: Lion City will take its place as a classic work of history and criticism.

garry Wills's venice: Lion City Is A Tour De Force — A Rich, Colorful, And Provocative History Of The World's Most Fascinating City In The Fifteenth And Sixteenth Centuries, When It Was At The Peak Of Its Glory. This Was Not The City Of Decadence, Carnival, And Nostalgia Familiar To Us From Later Centuries. It Was A Ruthless Imperial City, With A Shrewd Commercial Base, Like Ancient Athens, Which It Resembled In Its Combination Of Art And Sea Empire.

venice: Lion City Presents A New Way Of Relating The History Of The City Through Its Art And, In Turn, Illuminates The Art Through The City's History. It Is Illustrated With More Than 130 Works Of Art, 30 In Full Color. Garry Wills Gives Us A Unique View Of Venice's Rulers, Merchants, Clerics, Laborers, Its Jews, And Its Women As They Created A City That Is The Greatest Art Museum In The World, A City Whose Allure Remains Undiminished After Centuries.

like Simon Schama's the Embarrassment Of Riches, On The Dutch Culture In The Golden Age, venice: Lion City Will Take Its Place As A Classic Work Of History And Criticism.

the Los Angeles Times Book Review - John Julius Norwich

the First Paragraph Of The Jacket Copy For venice: Lion City Hails It As A Tour De Force. Blurb Writers, Like Writers Of Epitaphs, Are Not On Oath, But In This Case I Can Only Agree. Of Garry Wills' 23 Previous Books, More Than Half Are On American History And Several On Various Aspects Of Religion; He Is Also An Adjunct Professor Of History At Northwestern University. There Is No Indication Anywhere That He Knows Anything About Venice. But He Does; My Word, He Does. He Seems To Have Left Not A Book Unread, Not A Church Unvisited, Not A Painting, Sculpture Or Mosaic Unconsidered. Not A Single One Of Ruskin's Stones Has Been Left Unturned. I Have Been In Love With Venice All My Life And Writing About It For More Than 30 Years, Yet It Is Scarcely An Exaggeration To Say That I Have Learned Something New About The City On Every Page.

"Garry Wills's Venice: Lion City is a tour de force - a rich, colorful, and provocative history of the world's most fascinating city in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, when it was at the peak of its glory. This was not the city of decadence, carnival, and nostalgia familiar to us from later centuries. It was a ruthless imperial city, with a shrewd commercial base, like ancient Athens, which it resembles in its combination of art and sea empire. The structure of Venetian society was based on its distinctive practice of religion: Venice elected its priests, defied the authority of papal Rome, and organized its liturgy around a lay leader (the doge.)". "Venice: Lion City presents a new way of relating the history of the city through its art and, in turn, illuminates the art through the city's history. In their culture, their governing structures, and their social life, the Venetians themselves speak to us with extraordinary immediacy, whether at work, warfare, prayer, or acting out their victories, celebrations, and petitions in the colorful festivals that punctuated the year.". "Venice: Lion City is illustrated with more than 130 works of art, 30 in full color. Garry Wills gives us a unique view of Venice's rulers, merchants, clerics, and laborers, its Jews, and its women as they created a city that is the greatest art museum in the world, a city that continues to lure an endless stream of visitors."--BOOK JACKET. "A rich, colorful, and provocative history of the world's most fascinating city in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, when it was at the peak of its glory. This was not the city of decadence, carnival, and nostalgia familiar to us from later centuries. It was a ruthless imperial city, with a shrewd commercial base, like ancient Athens, which it resembled in its combination of art and sea empire. Venice: Lion City presents a new way of relating the history of the city through its art and, in turn, illuminates the art through the city's history. It is illustrated with more than 130 works of art, 30 in full color. Garry Wills gives us a unique view of Venice's rulers, merchants, clerics, laborers, its Jews, and its women as they created a city that is the greatest art museum in the world, a city whose allure remains undiminished after centuries."--Back cover A unique historical perspective on Venice, one of the world's most fascinating cities, during the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, is told through the art, which is connected to its imperial religion and which details the labor, warfare, government, prayer, and discipline of the time. Reprint.