Venice: Lion City: The Religion of Empire

For someone who is going to Venice for the first time reading any of the various guidebooks devoted to the city will probably suffice, particularly for those who will be spending a limited amount of time there. Those who will be spending more than a day or two, or those returning to the city, who have already seen the usual sights, toured a glass factory and taken a gondola ride and wish to get a deeper understanding of what they have seen will appreciate this book. The sheer amount of imagery in Venice can be totally overwhelming, even to those who are familiar with Venetian history. It is difficult not to experience sensory overload at the layers of Venice are displayed so densely packed in the confined space of the city. The author uses this treasure trove of art to describe Venice at her peak in the 15th and 16th centuries. Instead of just relating information in a strictly linear fashion the author has chosen to take a more conceptual approach, focusing on the roles of various sections of society, women, youth, artists; on aspects of religion and education to give the reader an idea of how the city actually worked. This work is definitely not for the casual reader, it is written at a collegiate level and if it was not planned to be a text for an upper level history or art history course it could certainly be used as one. Those who would appreciate this are people who have already been to Venice, particularly if they are planning to return soon. On the down side this is absolutely not an easy read. It is rather heavy going, occasionally repeating information from earlier sections. Anyone who wants to explore even further will find extensive notes at the end of the book.

This is a wonderful book. While Wills has been criticized as a non-specialist in these reviews, in many ways I found that an asset in this book. It is beautifully written - he has a uniquely clear and flowing style of writing that is a continual pleasure for me - and as he presents the essence of the many subjects he wishes to cover, he rarely gets bogged down in detail. In addition, many of the things that he investigates are wonderful surprizes for non-specialized readers such as myself (e.g. that the body of St. Mark was stolen by Venetians and set up in a shrine to establish the legitimacy of the city's unusual political culture). THe book is organized in several theme sections. First, in Imperial Disciplines, there are the historical origins and unique structure of this Renaissance state, which allowed it to escape the power struggles that dogged medieval Italy, i.e. unlike the innumerable city states re-fought the same territorial battles every generation under different egomaniacs. Second, in Imperial Personnel, Wills looks at the various members of society, from the frozen aristocracy (built on the expectation of duty rather than priviledge) to the workers who made the city's arsenal such as great and unique strategic asset as well as the "outsiders," such as the Jews (the word "ghetto," we learn, was coined for Venetian brass foundaries); how the state functioned, who held power and how it was exercised (in a diffused bureaucratic balance), are expertly described while avoiding the heaviness of a comprehensive history. Third, in Imperial Piety, there is the religious iconography and ritual, which in part allowed Venetians the sense of legitimacy they needed to defy Rome and the Pope over centuries. As I am quite ignorent of Christian history, this was fascinating and valuable for me, e.g. that St George was a Christianized Hercules, who also "fought" the many plagues that inevitably arose in the Venetian environment. Finally, in Imperial Learning, there is the Renaissance scholarship that came late to the city, and how it altered the art, politics, book scholarship, and the like - all set in geo-political context. Throughout - and sometimes with too much descriptive detail for me - Wills interprets the art and architecture of Venice in light of these themes. The result is simply dazzling, in my view, a masterwork by a great populariser and philosophical moralist. At any rate, this was exactly what I was looking for, and from reading many of WIlls' books, what I expected. It is not for graduate-level academics, but rather for those well informed on European history who are curious to learn more on Venice. Warmly recommended.

This book provides some interesting artistic and historic insights to lovers of Venice, but it is a difficult "read" and is often strained in its interpretations and conclusions. It also presumes a fairly advanced knowledge of Venetian art and history. In addition, there are various out-and-out errors: For example, on pg. 19, the Italian word "fondaco" is wrong-- it should be "fondamento"; on pg. 21, the saint identified as Stephen is actually Sebastian; on pg. 264, St. Sebastian's date, stated unequivocally to be 4th century A.D., could just as well have been 3rd century, since sources differ on the point. I would have expected a higher degree of accuracy from this author.

This unusual book looks at the history of the Venetian Republic through the eyes of a cultural historian, with special emphasis on the visual symbols of Venetian uniqueness. While the early chapters and the concluding chapter give us intelligent but conventional history writing, much of the book focuses on Wills' interpretations of Venetian Renaissance art and architecture. His intriguing scholarly observations place these works in the context of Venetian history, politics, and society. Wills also highlights many of Venice's most striking personalities. The book is extensively illustrated with black and white reproductions; a central section presents 31 color plates. Readers with a strong interest in the visual arts will find this book fascinating. Other readers may find the second half heavy going.

An extraordinary book! History, religion, art, political theory all blended together. I pulled out all my other books and travel guides from Venice and was bouncing back and forth studying art and architecture from a whole new point of view. Read this book before you visit Venice and take it with you as a whole new kind of guide.The Venice Chamber of Commerce ought to be happy, I am planning my next trip now.Garry -- Please do this for 5 other great cities. How about Amsterdam? Paris?