ART HISTORY COURSES
Foreigners Everywhere:
Venice in the Eye of the Beholder
Explore how Venice's cosmopolitan heritage informs and illuminates the present. Uncover the vibrant history of foreigners and immigrants in Venice through art, from the city's mythical origins to the Grand Tour to the 2024 Venice Biennale.
"The theater of the world and the eye of Italy," a scholar once described Venice. As the capital of a large multilingual and multi-faith empire, a trading crossroads, and a center of artistic production, Venice represented a microcosm of a world affected by increased global trade and travel. By the 16th century, the lagoon city was a key destination for multitudes of itinerant people, including not only merchants, but also students, artisans, soldiers, tourists, pilgrims, sex workers, and diplomats. Hundreds of people entered and exited the city every day.
Uncover the rich history of foreigners and immigrants in Venice through art, from the city's mythical origins to the Grand Tour. Artists used painting, printing, and cartography to depict Venice as a harmonious blend of cultures and a cosmopolitan center. Explore this dynamic artistic production with a Venetian art scholar. Discover how Venice's identity and heritage has long been malleable, dynamic, and consistently shaped through its exchanges with outsiders.
WHEN
Mondays @ 1:00-2:30 pm ET
August 5 – August 26
Wednesdays @ 9:00-10:30 am
August 7 - August 28
WHERE
On Zoom from your home or office. Sessions are taught by Eunice Yu, DPhil scholar and hosted by Lauren Jimerson, PhD.
All sessions are recorded and can be streamed at your convenience.
INFO
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Webinars are sold in packs of 4
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Each webinar is limited in size to enable lively and engaging discussions.
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Held on the same day and time each week, each session is 90 minutes.
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No background in art necessary. All that's required is a curious mind.
This year's Venice Biennale theme, "Foreigners Everywhere" (Stranieri Ovunque), resonates deeply with Venice's historical role as a hub of migration and cultural intersection. The Biennale features art that encapsulates the omnipresence and importance of foreigners throughout history and in contemporary society. This theme underscores how the presence of foreigners has continuously shaped and enriched Venice, making it a microcosm of global cultural dynamics.
The course will enhance your understanding of Venice's historical context, providing a foundation to appreciate the contemporary issues addressed in the 2024 Biennale. It will offer insights into how artists have navigated and responded to the challenges of migration, displacement, and cultural intersection, thus deepening your appreciation of the ongoing dialogue between history and contemporary art.
Mondays @ 1 pm ET
140 US dollarsWednesdays @ 9 am ET
140 US dollarsRecordings
90 US dollars
Eunice Yu, DPhil Scholar, University of Oxford
Art Historian & Venetian Art Scholar
Eunice Yu is a passionate PhD candidate in Art History at the University of Oxford, where her research bridges the worlds of art, the book, and social history. With an MA from The Courtauld Institute of Art and a BA from Cornell University, Eunice brings a rich academic background to her work. Her dissertation, "A Printing Dynasty in Venice: The Bertelli and their Networks," explores the dynamic interplay between mid-range printers and the burgeoning book and figural-print publishing industries in early modern Venice. Eunice's work reveals how these printers democratized access to written and visual cultures, reaching audiences across diverse socioeconomic and geographic landscapes. Her engaging approach and deep scholarly insight make her a rising star in the field, captivating audiences with the untold stories of Venice's vibrant cultural history.
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