Soffitti veneziani. La decorazione di volte e soffitti a Venezia dal XV al XVIII secolo

The essays in this volume pay appropriate homage to the high point of the Venetian ceiling during the 16th century. Our intention, however, has been above all to contextualise it in a broader historical view in order to put into perspective the traditional emphasis of studies on the Venetian Renaissance. For this reason, the volume begins with examples from the Middle Ages and the 15th century and then examines the episodes that led up to the 18th century. Particularly relevant are the issues of 1) the perception of ceilings by those who move in the space below; 2) the specific medial status of the paintings seen from below; 3) the aesthetic potential generated by the more or less daring foreshortening of the pictorial ceiling decorations.