Vittore Carpaccio, “Annunciation,” 1504, oil on canvas, 50 x 54 3/4 in. (c) Galleria Giorgio Franchetti alla Ca’d’Oro, Venice 2017

A current exhibition on view through June 18 is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see for yourself how and why this Renaissance city was renowned for its seductive colors — both in reality and through the monumental artists who called it their home. Can you name it?

The North Carolina Museum of Art (NCMA) recently opened a captivating exhibition that could prove to be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the state’s residents. “Glory of Venice: Renaissance Paintings 1470-1520” is a showcase of approximately 50 stunning Renaissance paintings, including major altarpieces, private secular and devotional paintings, and portraits.

Titian, “Madonna and Child with Saints Catherine of Alexandria and Dominic, and a Donor,” circa 1513, oil on canvas, 54 x 72 1/2 in. (c) Fondazione Magnani Rocca 2017
Titian, “Madonna and Child with Saints Catherine of Alexandria and Dominic, and a Donor,” circa 1513, oil on canvas, 54 x 72 1/2 in. (c) Fondazione Magnani Rocca 2017

It’s not surprising that Venice, Italy, is renowned for much more than its unique geographic location, food, and iconic gondolas. Indeed, for centuries scholars, aristocrats, royalty, and — of course — artists have all become enamored with the jewel-like colors that dance off the city’s canals and pastel-colored buildings. Nearly all the artists who called “The Floating City” home are noted for their use and mastery of color, especially with regard to Renaissance masters, including the Bellini family, the Bassano family, Giorgione, and Titian — to name just a few.

Giovanni Bellini, “Annunciation,” circa 1500, oil on canvas, 88 x 42 in. (c) Gallerie dell’Accademia, Venice 2017
Giovanni Bellini, “Annunciation,” circa 1500, oil on canvas, 88 x 42 in. (c) Gallerie dell’Accademia, Venice 2017

Via the museum, “Twenty unparalleled loans from Venice’s Gallerie dell’Accademia, which houses the finest collection of Venetian Renaissance art in the world, form the core of the exhibition. They are joined by masterpieces from other institutions in Italy and the United States, including the NCMA.”

“Glory of Venice” opened on March 4 and continues through June 18. To learn more, visit the North Carolina Museum of Art.

This article was featured in Fine Art Today, a weekly e-newsletter from Fine Art Connoisseur magazine. To start receiving Fine Art Today for free, click here.


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