Cittadini of Venice

Giulia Zanon, Ph.D. (Leeds, 2020), is Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Ca’ Foscari University of Venice. She is a social and cultural historian whose research uses interdisciplinary methodologies to examine early modern Mediterranean society.

• ContentsList of FiguresAbbreviationsAcknowledgementsIntroductionResearch ContextSources and MethodologyStructure1 Membership and Administration of the scuole grandi1 The Civic Role of the scuole grandi2 The scuole grandi as ‘Little Republics’ for the cittadini3 Precious Memories: Structure and Materiality of the Libri d’Argento4 Social Ties, Admission and Membership in the Confraternities5 Corruption and Regulation of scuole Governance6 Conclusion2 Cittadini Patronage in the scuole grandi1 The Relationship between scuole and the Civic Unity of the cittadini2 Processions and Rituals3 Patronage of Books4 Cittadini Artistic Patronage in Relation to the scuole5 Scuole Medals6 Conclusion3 Cittadini Cultural Networks1 Lawyers of Venice: an Honourable Profession2 The Early Creation of Cultural Networks: the Education of cittadini3 The Intellectual Circle: Academies, ridotti and Friendships4 Patrons and Friends of Writers5 The Arts as a Cultural Gathering6 Conclusion4 Cittadini, Parishes and the Counter-Reformation1 New Opportunities for Patronage: Church Reconstruction2 Cittadini and Chapels within Parish Churches3 Clergy, Laity and the Promotion of New Cults of Saints4 Speaking Tombs: Burial Sites and Social Relationships5 ConclusionConclusionBibliographyArchivesPrimary Sources: ManuscriptsPrimary Sources: Printed TextsSecondary SourcesIndex

“...The book’s greatest strength, and what sets it apart from similar works, is the breadth of sources deployed to investigate cittadini networks and patronage. [...] Zanon presents a compelling case for the importance of studying cittadini social and patronage networks within the structure of early modern Venetian society. The book skilfully outlines how the «middle stratum of society» used artistic patronage to «legitimise its existence in the eyes of the patriciate and to distinguish and further elevate itself from the lower strata» (p. 6). As such, this book will be an invaluable resource for historians and students studying the cittadini of Venice and the social networks of the scuole grandi in particular.”Zoe Farrell, University of Oxford, in: ARO, VIII, 2025, 1, URL: https://aro-isig.fbk.eu/issues/2025/1/cittadini-of-venice-zoe-farrell/