The Art and Archaeology of Venetian Ships and Boats
by Lillian Ray Martin
Foreword by Marco Bonino
Throughout its existence as a bustling center of seafaring and trade, Venice has loomed large in maritime history. Its location, governmental policies, and the skills of its citizens made Venice a dominant military power and a major player in international trade by the Middle Ages. Yet little is known of what made that military and trade prowess possible - the early seagoing vessels of Venice. Remains of its ships and boats are few, and written records are rare. Excavations in the region have revealed only a few small boats, two merchant ships, and a galley, yet this limited sample of the ships and boats of Venice offers a base on which to build. Artistic representations provide distinctive clues to the past that are not available elsewhere. Drawing on material from several disciplines, The Art and Archaeology of Venetian Ships and Boats combines lively discussions of art and history with scientific scholarship. Here, nautical archaeologist Lillian Ray Martin has collected representations of ships and boats in medieval and early Renaissance art from museums, churches, libraries, and public buildings of Venice and the surrounding region. After outlining her method of study, Martin presents a brief history of Venetian art, inextricably linked to the history of the area, and then carefully catalogues each known piece of Venetian art that depicts watercraft. She includes such information as the title, artist, date, location, types of watercraft shown, and a comprehensive description of each piece.
Martin combines archaeological, documentary, and iconographic evidence to paint a more accurate picture of Venetian watercraft, making The Art and Archaeology of Venetian Ships and Boats the most complete compilation of the sources available today. More than 150 illustrations, including representations from paintings, sculptures, frescoes, mosaics, engravings, manuscript illuminations, and more, enhance the book.
The Art and Archaeology of Venetian Ships and Boats reveals important facts about the construction, rigging, and sailing of Venetian watercraft, shedding new light on the history of Venetian seafaring and the resulting economic and political relations Venice had with the Byzantine and European worlds.
LILLIAN RAY MARTIN, who has a degree in art history and European studies from Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas, earned her master's degree in nautical archaeology at Texas A&M University. She has worked as an archaeologist and photographer at many underwater and land excavations since 1981, including the Bronze Age shipwreck at Uluburun, Turkey, as well as sites in the Dominican Republic, Holland, Greece, Cyprus, and the Turks and Caicos Islands. She lives in Austin, Texas.
Number Five: Studies in Nautical Archaeology
The Art and Archaeology of Venetian Ships and Boats. 1-58544-098-1 cloth $77.50s
World rights exclusive of the United Kingdom and Europe LC 00-011472. 8x11. 248 pp. 106 b&w photos. 52 line drawings. 7 tables. Bib. Index. Appendix. Nautical Archaeology. European Culture and Art.
Publication Date: MAY 2001.
Price $77.50
INA Members Price: $54.25
