A Portrait of Venice: Jacopo de’ Barbari’s View of 1500

The Nasher Museum presents a multi-media exhibition that brings to life the city of Venice through Jacopo de’ Barbari’s iconic View. Printed in 1500, this mural-sized woodcut portrays a bird’s eye view of the city that was instantly recognized as a technological and artistic masterpiece, a portrait of an urban marvel. No other city view rivaled its grandeur, ambition, or detail. With staggering precision, the View of Venice visually describes the dense fabric of the city—thousands of buildings, hundreds of bridges, and a complex network of islands, canals, narrow streets, squares, and wellheads. The original print is on loan from the Minneapolis Institute of Art.

For the first time, this exhibition animates the View of Venice with interactive displays that tell the stories of one of the wealthiest, most powerful, and greatly admired cities in the early modern world. Touchscreens reveal the production of this extraordinary print as well as the historical and social themes that emerge from the image: the celebrated uniqueness of Venice, detailed city views, women and men, the state, religious life, collections, and lost treasures. An augmented reality highlights the stunning continuities and remarkable transformations to the city in the more than 500 years following the View’s publication in Venice.

Credit: Exhibition overview from museum website