105 In the architectural realm as well, a confluence of influences shaped Venice’s outward appearance, including the splendid palazzi with their Venetian-Gothic facades. The city was also an epicentre of intellectual activity, as reflected in its numerous publishers of books and prints, numbering at times in the hundreds. In the Renaissance and Baroque period the painting of the Venetians was readily distinguishable from that of Rome or Florence, in particular through its emphasis on colour. International guests were a commonplace sight in daily life, and a festive culture evolved that used the singular townscape as a stage setting. This aspect becomes particularly striking in 18th-century veduta painting, whose most celebrated exponents include Luca Carlevarijs, but, first and foremost, Antonio Canal, called Canaletto. In these grandiose panoramic images, which often take up established motifs such as the Doge’s Palace or the lifeline of the Canal Grande, local inhabitants and everyday activities are also deemed worthy of depiction. To some extent, these images – many commissioned by aristocratic or princely travellers – visualise the city as it still appears today. Other painters, like Sebastiano Ricci, Giambattista Piazzetta, and Giovanni Antonio Pellegrini – who was married to Carriera’s sister Angela – number among the protagonists of Venetian Rococo painting. Giovanni Battista Tiepolo, finally, was a singular presence among Italian artists – not just in Venice itself, but throughout Italy. His frescoes and altarpieces received high praise, and a successful career led him to Germany and Spain as well. Venetian artists were well acquainted with one another, and often collaborated closely – particularly in the field of printmaking. Rosalba Carriera was among La Serenissima’s most celebrated artists. For decades she was the city’s premier portraitist and a veritable institution – anyone who was anyone sought to commission a likeness from her. She lived with her family in a small palazzo on the Canal Grande, where she probably also maintained her studio. This location must have been selected with deliberate intent, since the Ca’Biondetti is readily accessible by gondola, and hence ideal for eminent personalities who wished to remain incognito. Among these were not just senior officials fromVenice, but also grand tourists fromBritain, France, Germany, and Denmark. Although the city and the republic of Venice lost much of their importance as a political power and commercial centre during the 18th century, cultural life flourished there all the more. Guests arrived, not just for Carriera’s sake, but also for the numerous festivals, the music, and the arts. They augmented their art collections with works purchased in the city, and all of them enjoyed the sense of freedom Venice offered. RE
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