Concealed, protected and hidden: these are the gardens of Venice, protagonists of the illustrated volume published by Marsilio Arte and edited by Toto Bergamo Rossi, director of the Venetian Heritage association with Marco Bay, landscape architect. The texts signed by the two authors of the book, accompanied by the evocative shots of Marco Valmarana, guide the reader to the discovery of these green gems, privileged places where nature, art and history are intertwined.

The volume is a real journey through the gardens of Venice, from the most sumptuous kept in the noble palaces overlooking the Grand Canal to the more vernacular ones of the islands of the lagoon, collected and presented systematically through indexing by districts. The spring flowering, the summer opulence, the colors of autumn, the fog and the winter frost are captured in a new way in a series of photos full of details and emotions, which reveal the secret Venetian green through the seasons.

About the Authors:

Toto Bergamo Rossi, formerly a specialist in the conservation of stone materials, has restored a number of important monuments in Italy. Since 2010 he has served as the director of Venetian Heritage. He is the author of Inside Venice (Rizzoli, 2016) and Venice and Its Doges (Rizzoli, 2023).

This beautiful, aspirational book offers a seductive vision of living and entertaining in the most elegantly appointed private interiors of Venice.

For centuries, millions have succumbed to the magic of Venice, but few have been able to venture into its sumptuous private spaces. This book invites us into the extravagant interiors and secret gardens via a tour of the grand apartments and private homes where Venetians have forged an inspiring approach to living and entertaining in grand Old World style.

This superbly photographed volume takes the reader behind the fabulous facades of Venice to explore its grand interiors and local cuisine. Featuring lively anecdotal text and stunning color photographs of private interiors otherwise not open to the public, and including recipes from Venice and the surrounding Veneto region, this beautifully illustrated volume is essential for anyone who has fantasized about living in one of the world’s most romantic cities. This is an enchanting volume for browsers, armchair tourists, and anyone interested in interior design.

About the Authors:

Lydia Fasoli is a journalist and stylist based in Paris. She has written for leading European publications. Francesco “Toto” Bergamo Rossi has devoted his life to the restoration, preservation, and promotion of the artistic and historical heritage of Venice and has helmed the Venetian Heritage Foundation since 2010. Marie-Pierre Morel is a lifestyle photographer whose work appears regularly in prestigious publications including Elle, Elle Decor, and Maison Francaise.

While Venice is better known for soft light and atmospheric painters, this elegant new volume transforms our understanding of Venetian sculpture and its place in the city’s artistic tradition.

A feast for the eyes and an entertaining, erudite read, this book opens with an illustrated survey of the 120 doges who led the Venetian Republic before continuing with a detailed survey of the incredible array of sculptures and monuments that memorialize them.

Although celebrated for painting and music, Venice has a sculptural tradition that was overshadowed by Florence and Rome. Based on new scholarship, this volume reveals the true magnificence of six centuries of Venetian sculpture. With the oldest works dating to the thirteenth century, these masterpieces fill the city’s churches and include pieces by great masters from the Lombardo family to Antonio Rizzo, Jacopo Sansovino, Alessandro Vittoria, and Baldassare Longhena.

The sculptural marvels of Venice tell the story of a procession of doges—politicians, scholars, conquerors, merchants, and even a saint, Pietro Orseolo — over a thousand-year history. Engaging text highlights the adventurous, eventful, and sometimes glorious lives of these legendary figures, while the newly commissioned photography showcases the grandeur and beauty of a neglected aspect of Venice’s cultural history. 

About the Author:

Francesco “Toto” Bergamo Rossi has been the head of the Venetian Heritage Foundation since 2010. Count Marino Zorzi, former director of the Biblioteca Marciana, comes from one of the oldest Venetian families with a doge in their lineage. Matteo de Fina specializes in photographing art, interiors, and architecture. Diane von Furstenberg is a noted philanthropist and celebrated fashion designer, best known for the wrap dress, as well as founder of her eponymous global luxury lifestyle brand now sold in over 55 countries. She received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Council of Fashion Designers of America in 2005 and was named the most powerful woman in fashion by Forbes magazine in 2012 She is International Ambassador for Venetian Heritage Foundation. Peter Marino, FAIA, is the principal of Peter Marino Architect PLLC, the New York–based architecture firm he founded in 1978. Known for his residential and retail work for the most iconic names in fashion and art, his award-winning work includes large-scale commercial, cultural, and hospitality projects. He is Chairman of Venetian Heritage Foundation and on the board of directors for International Committee of L’Union Centrale des Arts Décoratifs.

The superb private interiors of Venice are revealed in this lavishly photographed book.

This gorgeously photographed journey through entrancingly beautiful Venetian interiors is sure to appeal to Venice’s many admirers interested in the elegance and refinement of classical Old World interior design. The private properties featured in this handsome volume are not accessible to the public and most are published here for the first time.

The book is a luxurious presentation of the hidden architectural and interior design treasures of Venice, ranging from historical ninth-century buildings to contemporary renovations that blend old and new. Seventy-two properties, each photographed exclusively for the book, are profiled — mainly private apartments and palazzos, along with some churches, hotels, and other public spaces that those interested in interiors will find inspiring.

Author and preservation expert Toto Bergamo Rossi personally selected each property for inclusion based on his detailed field knowledge gained over many years as director of the Venetian Heritage Foundation, whose mission is to safeguard Venetian cultural heritage as manifested in architecture, music, and fine art.

About the Author:

Francesco "Toto" Bergamo Rossi has been the head of the Venetian Heritage Foundation since 2010.
Jean-François Jaussaud has photographed interiors for Elle Décor, Vogue, Marie-Claire, and The New York Times, among other publications.
James Ivory is cofounder of Merchant Ivory Productions and winner of several Academy Awards for such iconic films as Howard’s End, A Room with a View, and The Remains of the Day, which was nominated for eight Academy Awards.

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Пролистать книгу  Inside Venice: A Private View of the City's Most Beautiful Interiors