title: Venice: The Golden Centuries
author: Giandomenico Romanelli
description: VENICE: The Golden Centuries<br /><br />ISBN-10: 384800013X<br /><br /> <br /><br />FLORENCE: Art and Architecture<br /><br /> ISBN-10: 3848000083<br /><br /><br /><br />Holiday Gift Guide: Florence: Art and Architecture and Venice: The Golden Centuries<br /><br /><br /><br />If various reports are to be believed, the recession is drawing to a close. Even so, money is tight, gifts are precious and travel is dear. That might mean a lot of the things, but to me it means that gorgeous, elegant and rich books about wonderful places are going to be among the top holiday time gifts this year. How could they not be? Even an expensive book is a tiny fraction of the cost of a trip and it can last ever so much longer.<br /><br /><br /><br />Two great gift giving candidates come to us this season from H.F. Ullman. Florence: Art and Architecture and Venice: The Golden Centuries are both massive, impressive, filled with wonderful information and both books are relative bargains: pound for pound, these two might just be the best book bargains out there!<br /><br /><br /><br />Neither of these books are contemporary travel guides which, in many ways, make them much better gifts. The information contained herein is not time sensitive or dependent. These are art books and, considering the topic at hand, both deal with the artistic history of the city under discussion. Noted scholars and historians contribute chapters to do with their own areas of expertise, while hundreds of images in each book complete the full illustration of two of the most artistically important cities in history.<br /><br /><br /><br />January Magazine coverage<br /><br />"...an excellent gift for any traveler (or armchair traveler) or art lover, or for yourself"<br /><br /><br /><br />Book Review: Venice: The Golden Centuries, Edited by Giandomenico Romanelli<br /><br /><br /><br />As a city, and as a center of art and architecture, Venice is unique. With Venice: The Golden Centuries, you will be able to examine some of the most gorgeous sculpture, painting, and buildings from Venice in the 13th to the 16th centuries, many of which are essentially unchanged today.<br /><br /><br /><br />The text explains the major artistic and architectural movements during those golden centuries, and incidentally explains a great deal about social life in the city at that time.<br /><br /><br /><br />You will learn about the guilds, confraternities and Scholes, or schools, of art which influenced not only Venetian art but that of all of Europe.<br /><br /><br /><br />You will read short biographies of some of the most important Venetian artists, including Titian, Giorgione, Veronese, Tintoretto, Mantegna and more, and view stunning examples of their work.<br /><br /><br /><br />It is the gorgeous full-color illustrations that make this book so special, however. There are more than 500 photos of government and residential palaces, elaborate churches and other buildings, as well as fabulous paintings and sculptures.<br /><br /><br /><br />Most of the subjects are religious or mythological. Ceilings and walls of churches are covered with art, and altarpieces and other architectural details are richly carved. Even funerary pieces and tomb effigies are fascinating, ornate works of art.<br /><br /><br /><br />Through the pages, you will view Moorish windows, deep Gothic arches, and Renaissance buildings that are severe and yet beautiful. You will be confronted again and again with images of St. Mark and St. Jerome, and of the Virgin and Child. All of it is riveting, sumptuous and will inspire countless re-viewings.<br /><br /><br /><br />This heavy, big coffee table book would make an excellent gift for any traveler (or armchair traveler) or art lover, or for yourself. It will provide many pleasurable opportunities for browsing the treasures of this remarkable city's history.<br /><br /><br /><br />Blogcritics coverage, Author: Rhetta Akamatsu -- Published: Aug 14, 2012 <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />VENICE OR FLORENCE ?<br /><br /><br /><br />Choosing between Venice or Florence can not only be a hard choice but an unfair one. There is too much to see, too much to experience and feel in both enchanted cities that FW recommends once in your life to go to both. Until then however, the two books by Ullmann Publishing give you an insightful look into the two worlds.<br /><br /><br /><br />Venice The Golden Centuries is a look into the city on water through the eyes of dazzling style in architecture, design, sculptures and paintings. This book allows you to learn, explore and dream of the heaven like city and does not seize to amaze of what has been preserved until today only waiting for you to experience in real life!<br /><br /><br /><br />The other keepsake, Florence Art and Architecture is another magical book that inspires you to travel to the other part of the world that offers sculptures, paintings, design, churches, chapels and masterpieces that let you dream of another time.<br /><br /><br /><br />Fashion Weekly Magazine August 2012 issue by Sakina K.<br /><br />
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  _**Dedicated to Jonathan**_
  
  
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  # _Chart of Characters_  
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  VENICE
  
  
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  Giuliano Dandolo  
  Pietro Contarini
  
  
  
  
  
  BYZANTIUM
  
  
  
  
  
  Anna Lascaris (Anastasius Zarides)
  
  
  Justinian Lascaris (her twin brother)
  
  
  Bishop Constantine
  
  
  Zoe Chrysaphes
  
  
  Helena Comnena (Zoe’s daughter)
  
  
  Emperor Michael Palaeologus
  
  
  Nicephoras (palace eunuch)
  
  
  Bessarion Comnenos
  
  
  Andrea Mocenigo
  
  
  Avram Shachar
  
  
  Eirene Vatatzes
  
  
  Demetrios Vatatzes (her son)
  
  
  Gregory Vatatzes (her husband)
  
  
  Arsenios Vatatzes (Gregory’s cousin)
  
  
  Georgios Vatatzes (Arsenios’s son)
  
  
  Cosmas Kantakouzenos
  
  
  Leo (servant to Anna)
  
  
  Simonis (servant to Anna)
  
  
  Sabas (servant to Zoe)
  
  
  Thomais (servant to Zoe)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Charles, Count of Anjou, ki