Venice mock question

Question 1

Passage A
Only in Venice did the Renaissance outlast the middle of the sixteenth century. That republic was
ruled by a closed group of aristocratic families, but scholars and artists tended to work in harmony
with them, rather than being controlled by them as was the trend elsewhere in Italy at that time.
There was also that necessary degree of openness to outside influences and freedom to allow for innovation. The maritime republic escaped foreign domination. Also the Counter-Reformation was
limited in its impact there – this is best illustrated in the case of Veronese who was prosecuted for painting the Last Supper as an entertaining, lavish dinner party: he merely changed the title to The Feast in the House of Levi and all was well. It was not just the more creative environment in Venice that helped to prolong the Renaissance
there. The city’s artists also had a distinct contribution to make owing to their tradition of colore [colour], expressing much more through colour than through the drawing or disegno which characterised earlier Renaissance art. The leading artist in Venice, and indeed the European art
world of his day, was Titian (1489–1576). He painted masterpieces right up to his death at the age
of 87.
Adapted from J. Lotherington, Years of Renewal: European History 1470–1600, published
in 1999.

Answer 1

Strengths:
-Mentions openess to outside influence: e.g. Jacapo Sansovino - from Florence - built San Marco library. - however was not unusual - takes more than openness - take interest - Alfonso V of Aragon – Bringing artists into places without domestic interest in – however interest died out after him – openness isn’t enough on its own – need to develop internal interest.

-Identifies range of cultural factors:
-Significant world renown artists - Titian - patroned by Charles V - holy roman empire. - however just 1 artists - don’t give enough examples/mention importance of Bellini brothers ect.
-Significance of colore judicious application—was deemed fundamental to conceiving painted images charged with the look of life.

weaknesses:
-Over exaggerates role of openness: -Venice – stability – government stayed the same – conservative wasn’t open beyond families that had power (the golden book) – wasn’t open in terms of art – mostly religious by Italian artists.

-Little evidence for harmony between artists and client - may be and idealistic exaggeration - some degree harmony other places - Renaissance Florence - Botticelli lived in Medici’s house.

Question 2

Passage B
The most important citizens of Venice, the patricians, were intimately connected with trade. In old
feudal societies, like England and France, it was land holding that was prestigious; commercial
life was considered somewhat vulgar. This was far from the case in Renaissance Italy. Just as in
Florence the leading citizens were involved in cloth manufacture and banking, so in Venice the
patricians were deeply immersed in commercial life.
They managed the galley convoys, they acted as governors of important trading posts in the
empire, they controlled the warehouses, customs offices and courts which regulated trade. In
short, they had a firm grip on the heart of the commercial life of the city and the empire. The
wealth of the city of Venice came from trade, but that wealth went essentially to the richest of its
private citizens, not to the state… Trade made Venetians rich and gave them employment. True,
this allowed them to contribute to public finances, but it was their private wealth that was most
significant. These individual fortunes financed much of the scholarly and artistic activity of the
Renaissance.

Adapted from: R. Hole, Renaissance Italy (Access to History), published in 1998.

Answer 2

Strengths:

Identifies the role importance of trade for economic prosperity:
-Strategic location
-major trading centre
-Fortifications and outposts along Dalmatia, Southern Italy , Greece, CRETE and CYPRYS.
-Privileged trade with the Easy and far East, trading concessions granted by the Emperor of Constantinople.

Trade industries:
-Glass - Ventians discovered a formula for clarify glass - discovered enamalling glass - change dechnique of stained glass windows - much in demand.
-Most important printing centre in Italy, especially ancient greek/Latint exts - Aldus Manutius.

Patricians and commercial life
-Patricians were deeply involved in commercial life
-Aldus Manutius - opened printing shop in Venice in 1495 - Aldine press.
-Source also mentions difference with feudal societies - significant in creating disposable income.

-Significance of private wealth:
-Patrons such as Trissino, who patroned great Venitian architect Palladio - wrote the book ‘the four book so of aarchitecture.
-Dodges commissioned artists such as Gentile Bellini - 1474 he became the official portraitist for the Doges of Venice.

Weakness:
-only identifies one factor: economic - barely mentions art and culture and intellectual reasons and the spread of ideas.