The 15th-century artist Giovanni Bellini, beloved for his serene style, is being fêted at the Jacquemart-André Museum in Paris. The exhibition “Giovanni Bellini: Crossed Influences” is the first French special exhibit dedicated to the father of the Venetian school. Bellini was an innovator in his use of expressive color, tones, and natural light. He was…

While a photograph of Giovanni Bellini’s “Portrait of Doge Leonardo Loredan” may give the illusion of a photographed actor in costume rather than a painted portrait; the artwork displays exquisite but restrained beauty. The doge’s robe and face appear to have the realistic textures of silk and skin: The folds in the silk and creases…

Few cities capture the romantic imagination quite like Venice, and its winding canals, picturesque buildings, and shimmering lagoon have intrigued visitors for centuries. Its unique geography—118 islands connected by a network of over 400 bridges—literally and figuratively sets it apart from the Italian mainland. In art, this seclusion allowed the Renaissance to flourish in a…

On Feb. 7, 1506, Albrecht Dürer wrote to tell his friend Wilibald Pickheimer that Giovanni Bellini, then Venice’s leading artist, had not only praised Dürer’s paintings but, amazingly, announced his intention to buy one. Dürer traveled to Venice twice and, on a second visit, he was determined to demonstrate his abilities and those of other…