Ruskin and the Myth of Venice

“Ruskin and the Myth of Venice”. In this introductory paper to the volume I propose a semiotic approach to myth as a theoretical frame to what is often referred to in general terms as the “myth of Venice”. Surveying recent criticism on the topic I consider the fall of the Serenissima as a major historical factor that contributed to the mythmaking of Venice. I then maintain Ruskin’s central role in shaping it through his extended narrative in his early and mid-work of the birth, glory and decadence of the art and architecture of Venice. Finally, I deal with Ruskin’s later multilayered discourse on place myths and mass tourism, as well as his awareness of their dynamic nature.