Art Institute of Chicago

The Venetian Wedding

Johann Theodor de Bry (German, 1561-1623)

Date

1585/1600

Medium

Engraving in black on ivory laid paper

Culture

Germany

Department

Prints and Drawings

Institution

Art Institute of Chicago

Here Johann Theodor de Bry miniaturized Hendrick Goltzius’s rectangular engraving, which was over four times as wide. The work is sometimes called Antenor’s Wedding from its inscription, which reads, “Behold the great nuptial rites of Antenor, in the manner of the patricians of the Venetian Senate . . . Now it all can be seen and admired throughout the world.” The mythological Trojan Antenor is said to have founded Venice before Rome even existed, and the city’s unique watery setting has always been a central component of its identity and commerce. Indeed, the Venetian lagoon outside the palazzo includes covered gondolas, in which wealthy brides were customarily conveyed to their wedding ceremonies.

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