Review Of Rosand’s “Venetia Figurata: The Iconography Of A Myth”

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Review of Rosand’s “Venetia Figurata: the Iconography of a Myth”
Venice personified, or Venetia, is probably the most influential mythical figure to shape an entire worlds view on one city in the whole of modern history. David Rosand explains this icon who embodied the beliefs and reputation of the Republic of Venice, through each one of her personified virtues as they came into existence in the art and literature of the time. By the end of the 14th century, Venetia came to be known as the icon for Justice, a regal retributive figure that sits on the leonine throne of St. Mark (the patron saint of Venice). Rosand explains this and others using the many paintings and medallions of the Venetia Figurata from the middle of the Trecento to the start of the 17th century. He examines each piece by first explaining the virtue or persons being personified in Venetia and then explaining the surrounding space and how it fits into his translation of the piece. Through many years and artworks, Venetia became an icon that would embody such virtues and persons as Justice, the Virgin Mary, the figure of Dea Roma, and Venus. This was only by the advent of the Venetian political imagination who transformed her into whatever they thought the state of Venice should portray to the outside world and to her citizens.

The first virtue to be personified by Venetia is Justice. Since the chief virtue claimed by Venice is Justice, the earlier icon Iustitia and the new figure Venetia have much in common and were commonly mistaken for each other. One of the first forms of Venetia is in the Ducal Palace where she is simply shown seated on a Solomonic throne of double lions, with an unsheathed sword, but without scales in an attempt by the Venetians to disassociate her with the icon of Justice. The scales were restored to Venetia, and ultimately strengthened the image as well as the states identity.

The second face of Venetia is shown on the...