Virtual Venice: Treasures of Art and Architecture

We are delighted to announce our new 10-week course starting in January, combining lectures by specialist art historian and National Gallery lecturer Siân Walters, with guided walks and live museum visits in Venice with expert Venetian guide, Luisella Romeo. Both lectures and visits are live and interactive, allowing you to ask questions.

The lessons, streamed on Zoom Webinar, will enable you to gain special access to sites and galleries in Venice which are either currently closed or difficult to visit, whilst at the same time providing a wonderful opportunity to travel virtually from the comfort of your home. Our visits will also support both galleries and individuals working in the cultural sector whose activities have been affected by the current pandemic.

Explore the history and enduring appeal of La Serenissima or “the Most Serene” Venetian Republic, from Titian’s great mythologies and Canaletto’s vedute to the exquisite portraits of Rosalba Carriera, the palatial commissions of Giambattista Tiepolo, and the sculpture of Antonio Canova. Learn about the development of Venetian architecture, the origins of the city and the reality of challenges facing building conservation and modern life in the 21st century.

Our guided walks use the most up-to-date technology to provide you with the best possible virtual experience. You will feel as though you are exploring the city yourself with the running commentary given by our guide, with the possibility of admiring details of the artworks in high resolution as we move around the galleries.

You will visit, for example, the Cannaregio district including the Madonna dell’Orto church, the House of Tintoretto and the Jewish ghetto, as well as the Santa Croce and San Polo districts, admiring impressive buildings such as the Scuola Grande San Giovanni Evangelista, the Church of the Frari and the Scuola Grande di San Rocco. We have arranged special access to a number of museums and important art collections, such as the Querini Stampalia Palace with its exquisite collections of furniture, sculpture and painting and the world-famous Accademia gallery where we will be able to see masterpieces by artists such as Bellini, Giorgione, Lotto, Veronese and Titian. (Please note – the museums visited will be different from those visited in recent and up-coming Cultural Travels from Home webinars, so there will be no cross-over if you wish to attend these in addition to this course)

Tune in from anywhere in the world or enjoy a recorded version if you cannot watch live. A link to the recording will be sent soon after the end of the session if you cannot watch live, enabling you to watch on catch up later that evening or the following day. Each session will last approximately 1 hour 45 minutes including a short break and two question/answer sessions. Students will be provided with full course outline and a suggested reading list/online resources approximately one week in advance of the start date – these will be sent by email.  

Both Siân and Luisella are known for their informative but informal approach, combining erudite commentary with an entertaining and approachable delivery.

Live streamed lectures are on Friday mornings and all sessions run from 11.00 – 12.45.(UK time). There is no session on 12th February (half-term).

Please refer to the Further Information panel below for more details. The cost includes museum entrance fees and donations. A full course outline will be emailed to all attendees on the morning of January 5th