Greco-Roman mythology has provided the world with great fables and tales, highlighting heroes as they journeyed on their quests, as well as the many divine figures and their stories. Through devotion and careful study, the Greeks and the Romans looked to their mythology for guidance as they built the great Classical civilizations that modern society recognizes. However, in addition to Greco-Roman society, the Republic of Venice during the Early Modern period also utilized Greco-Roman mythology as a foundation, building upon it to create La Serenissima--the Most Serene Republic.¹
As Venetian society further developed, so did its depiction of mythological subject matter in art. Ranging from allegories to personal status development, art pieces depicting mythological subject matter became much more adaptive, serving a wide spectrum of purposes. Many famous artists, such as Titian, Tintoretto, and Veronese, used mythological subject matter to depict various images.
This exhibit will offer the opportunity to explore the functions of these adaptations of mythological subject matter within Venetian society. More specifically, this exhibit will explore how mythological subject matter was used to give insight into the self-perceived appearance of Venice², as well as the reality of Venetian society during the Renaissance.
- John Foot and Denis E. Cosgrove, “Venice,” Encyclopædia Britannica (Encyclopædia Britannica, inc., April 23, 2020), https://www.britannica.com/place/Venice.
- Deborah Howard, “Venice as a Dolphin: Further Investigations in Jacopo de’ Barbari’s View,” Artibus et Historiae, (1994), 101-11.
Credits
Muhib Methani