English Travellers to Venice 1450 -1600

English Travellers to Venice 1450–1600 provides 35 accounts of English travellers' experiences in Venice, including challenges, hardships, and Anglo-Venetian relations. It showcases the city's grandeur and artistic treasures, as well as the travellers' fascination with Venetian republican government and Mediterranean possessions. The volume includes illustrations of Venetian art, engravings, and early maps, allowing visitors to see many of the locations and treasures described today.

Format: Hardback
Length: 514 pages
Publication date: 24 February 2022
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

English Travellers to Venice 1450 –1600 is a captivating collection of 35 separate accounts, meticulously compiled from contemporary manuscript and printed sources. These accounts offer a vivid glimpse into the challenges and hardships endured by visitors to the enchanting city of Venice, as well as the intricate complexities of Anglo-Venetian relations during the pre- and post-Reformation periods. The travellers who penned these accounts, hailing from diverse backgrounds, including pilgrims, scholars, religious exiles, ambassadors, English courtiers, noblemen, eccentric and renegade characters, seafarers, and even an undercover intelligence gatherer for Sir Francis Walsingham, Queen Elizabeth's esteemed 'spymaster,' bring to life the awe-inspiring grandeur and artistic treasures of Venice.

The introduction to this remarkable volume assesses the various aspects of Anglo-Venetian contacts between 1450 and 1600, delving into topics such as the pivotal role of Venetian naval experts in the 1545 salvage attempt of Henry VIIIs flagship, the Mary Rose. It also provides a firsthand account by an English visitor's servant of the devastating 1575–7 outbreak of the plague at Venice, which had a profound impact on the city and its inhabitants. Additionally, during the build-up to the Spanish Armada, the Venetian intelligence service emerges as a formidable force, enabling the doge and Council to remain well-informed about both Spanish and English plans.

In addition to the captivating colour plates that showcase the brilliant artistic achievements of Venetian masters like Bellini, Carpaccio, Titian, Veronese, and Tintoretto, the volume includes a selection of engravings that offer a glimpse into Venetian life from the renowned collections of Giacomo Franco. These engravings provide a deeper understanding of the city's culture, society, and daily life during this period.

English Travellers to Venice 1450 –1600 is a testament to the enduring fascination of English travellers with Venice, a city that has captured the imagination for centuries. Through these accounts, readers are transported back in time to experience the wonders, hardships, and complexities of a city that has left an indelible mark on history. This volume is a valuable resource for scholars, historians, and anyone with an interest in the rich tapestry of European culture and history.

Dimension: 246 x 174 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032170541