Art Pursuits
  

specialists in cultural tours,
study days, short courses and
private views of historic houses

Art Pursuits Study Tour Programme

The Genius of Venice
A Journey through Venetian Art

3 – 9 November 2008

Day 1 Late morning flight with British Midland from London Heathrow to Venice. Transfer by watertaxi to hotels. Introductory walk and dinner in a local restaurant.
Day 2 An introduction to the heart of Venice: Piazza San Marco and its most important monuments, the 900-year-old basilica dedicated to the Evangelist Mark, and the vast complex of the Ducal Palace. In the evening return to San Marco for a private view. Independent dinner.
Day 3

S.Maria dei Frari is a glorious setting for Titian’s Assumption and Pesaro Madonna, as well as for works by Giovanni Bellini, Bartolomeo Vivarini, and Donatello. In the afternoon visit the precious marble votive church of S.Maria dei Miracoli, built to house a miracle-working image of the Virgin, and SS. Giovanni e Paolo, grand manifestation of the Dominican Order, with many splendid ducal monuments. Dinner in a restaurant near the hotel.
Day 4 All-day excursion by waterbus to the islands of the lagoon: study the splendid mosaic of the Last Judgement in the cathedral of Torcello before taking the boat to Burano for lunch (included) in a traditional restaurant. In the afternoon walk around Murano to visit the fascinating exhibits at the glass museum and look at the mosaic floor of SS. Maria e Donato. Return by waterbus to the centre of Venice and independent dinner.
Day 5 Spend the morning in the Accademia Gallery to study works by all major Venetian painters. The rest of the day will be free for you to explore the city independently.
Day 6 The Counter-Reformation found its perfect expression in Venice in the church architecture of Andrea Palladio: at S.Giorgio Maggiore and Il Redentore he provided harmonious designer churches catering for modern needs. After lunch pay homage to the decorative genius of Paolo Veronese at San Sebastiano, bright and colourful in contrast with the tempestuous drama of Jacopo Tintoretto’s canvases at the magnificent Scuola Grande di San Rocco. Visit to a private palace before our final dinner in a local restaurant.
Day 7 Our final visit will take us to the Ca’ Rezzonico, an enormous Baroque palace overlooking the Grand Canal, dedicated to the art of eighteenth-century Venice. After an early lunch transfer by watertaxi to Venice airport for our afternoon flight with British Midland returning to London Heathrow at 4.35 pm.

Please note that at this stage the programme is still provisional. Although we aim at the greatest degree of accuracy from the outset, some details, especially the order of visits, may be subject to change. Click to close window Click to print window