Eblouissante Venise @ Grand Palais

Having inherited a multisecular tradition, at the dawn of the 18th century Venetian civilisation dazzled in the visual and decorative arts, music and opera alike. The presence of great talents, such as the painters Piazzetta and Giambattista Tiepolo, the urban landscape painter or vedutista Canaletto and the sculptors Corradini and Brustolon, to name but a few, allowed Venice to cultivate a unique aesthetic and sense of luxury. Music was kept very much alive through creations by composers such as Porpora, Hasse and Vivaldi, performed by world-famous singers, including the castrato Farinelli and the soprano Faustina Bordoni.
In the Ospedali, poor or orphaned young girls received extensive musical education, and their virtuosity made them famous throughout Europe. In the city, during Carnival, drama and farce were everywhere, and the passion for gambling was given free reign at the ridotto.

Gianantonio Canal, dit Canaletto, L’entree du Grand canal avec Santa Maria della salute depuis le Môle, 1722

Antonio Corradini, Allegorie de la foi (or how to make marble transparent…)

Random puttis just because they are so irresistible..

Macha Makeieff has designed spaces that tell a lively tale of this dazzling Venice and weave a journey of sensations and surprises: echoes of music, dance and drama

Isabelle de Borchgrave, Sept robes et trois lustres dans le style du XVIIIe siecle