ITAL 313L: The Art of Early Modern Venice: Myths & Realities of a Floating City

This course examines the history of Venice and its art within a broad Mediterranean and European context. It demonstrates the artificiality of the geographic boundaries still often placed upon the study of culture and identity formation. Venice, with its long history of multicultural interaction and exchange, as well as its penchant for self-celebratory mythmaking, is an ideal forum in which to challenge preconceived notions of nationhood, ethnic identity, and cultural unity.