venetian art, 1600–1797 833
comes to mind if one assesses the quality and variety of styles and media
practiced in the visual arts.
The Grand Manner
it was specifically the wealthy patricians, whether of ancient descent or
recently admitted into the nobility, who, as the most important commis-
sioners of the arts, embraced the models of the great decorative schemes.
in profane buildings, lavish and programmatic interior decorative cycles
had been, to a high degree, a prerogative of the Ducal Palace. the pri-
vate palaces of the ruling class, in comparison, were perhaps decorated
more soberly and might lack a single coherent scheme, but this would
start changing towards the later Seicento and would reach its peak by
the middle of the following century.59 the splendor and sophistication
in intricacy and quality of these decorations could easily rival the deco-
rative schemes and cycles of the Florentine and roman High Baroque.
Facing the gradual draining of the state’s resources, a process that accel-
erated dramatically during the War of Candia, the Venetian Senate could
no longer keep the noble ranks closed; practically for the first time since
1297, a number of extremely wealthy families who were willing to pay a
high price for the much-desired noble title, were admitted to the ranks
of nobility around the middle of the 17th century. But as Francis Haskell
had so sharply pointed out, innovation in thought and behavior were the
last things to be expected from them: these “newcomers” would do every-
thing to be accepted by the older aristocracy, and consciously conformed
to the status quo.60
this was not altogether true for the arts, however. Monumental decora-
tion in private palaces in the city soared starting shortly before and long
after the turn of the century, and it was unmistakably fueled by the rivalry
between old and new families, each attempting to outshine the other. in
this, some members of the new nobility took the lead and proved less
conformist. they ventured out in decoration types new to Venice, based
59 Some families had embellished their palaces with conspicuous art collections, see
Linda Borean and Stefania Mason, eds., Il collezionismo d’arte a Venezia: il Settecento
(Venice, 2009, 2009); Borean and Mason, eds., Il collezionismo d’arte a Venezia: il Seicento
(Venice, 2007); Michel Hochman, rosella Lauber, and Stefania Mason, eds., Il collezionismo
d’arte a Venezia: dalle origini al Cinquecento (Venice, 2008); and Borean and Mason, eds.,
Il collezionismo d’arte.
60 Francis Haskell, Patrons and Painters: A Study in the Relations between Italian Art and
Society in the Age of the Baroque (1963; rev. and enlarged ed. new Haven, 1980; ital. trans.,
1985), p. 247.