The Art and Archaeology of Venetian Ships and Boats
978-1-58544-098-6 Cloth
8 x 11 x 0 in
248 pp. 106 b&w photos., 52 line drawings., 7 tables.
Pub Date: 04/01/2001
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Artistic representations of Venetian ships and boats can offer distinctive clues unavailable in other forms of evidence. To gain a better understanding of the watercraft of Venice, nautical archaeologist Lillian Ray Martin has collected representations of ships and boats in medieval and early Renaissance art. To do so, Martin systematically surveyed the museums, churches, libraries, and public buildings of Venice and the surrounding region in search of watercraft depicted in art.
Drawing on material from several disciplines, The Art and Archaeology of Venetian Ships and Boats combines lively discussions of art and history with scientific scholarship. After outlining her method of study, Martin presents a brief history of Venetian art, inextricably linked to the history of the area. Martin then carefully catalogues each known piece of Venetian art that depicts watercraft. She includes such information as the
title, artist, date, location, types of watercraft depicted, and a comprehensive description of each piece.
Excavations in the region so far have revealed only a few small boats, two merchant ships, and a galley, a limited sample of the ships and boats of Venetia, but offering the base on which to build. Archaeological, documentary, and iconographic evidence are here combined to paint a more accurate picture of Venetian watercraft, making The Art and Archaeology of Venetian Ships and Boats the most complete compilation of the sources available today.
The book is enhanced by more than 150 illustrations, including representations of ships and boats from paintings, sculptures, frescoes, mosaics, engravings, manuscript illuminations, and more.
The Art and Archaeology of Venetian Ships and Boats reveals important facts about the construction, rigging, and sailing of Venetian watercraft, shedding new light on the history of Venetian seafaring and the resulting economic and political relations Venice had with the Byzantine and European worlds.
About the Author
Published by Texas A&M University Press