Such a book does not pretend to vie with, much less to supersede, the masterly treatises on the subject which have from time to time appeared, or to take the place of exhaustive histories, such as that of Professor Leonello Venturi on the Italian primitives. It should but serve to pave the way to deeper and more detailed reading. It does not aspire to give a complete and comprehensive list of the painters; some of the minor ones may not even be mentioned. The mere inclusion of names, dates, and facts would add unduly to the size of the book, and, when without real bearing on the course of Venetian art, would have little significance. What the book does aim at is to enable those who care for art, but may not have mastered its history, to rear a framework on which to found their own observations and appreciations; to supply that coherent knowledge which is beneficial even to a passing acquaintance with beautiful things, and to place the unscientific observer in a position to take greater advantage of opportunities, and to achieve a wide and interesting outlook on that cycle of artistic apprehension which the Venetian School comprises, and which marks it as the outcome and the symbol of a great historic age. The works cited have been principally those with which the ordinary traveller is likely to come into contact in the chief European galleries, and, above all, in Venice itself. The lists do not propose to be exhaustive, but merely indicate the principal works of the artists. Those in private galleries, unless easy of access or of first-rate importance, are usually eliminated. It has not been thought necessary to use profuse illustrations, as the book is intended primarily for use when visiting the original works. CONTENTS PART I CHAPTER I PAGE VENICE AND HER ART 3 CHAPTER II PRIMITIVE ART IN VENICE 11 CHAPTER III INFLUENCES OF UMBRIA AND VERONA 21 CHAPTER IV THE SCHOOL OF MURANO 29 CHAPTER V THE PADUAN INFLUENCE 33 CHAPTER VI JACOPO BELLINI 39 CHAPTER VII CARLO CRIVELLI 44 CHAPTER VIII GENTILE BELLINI AND ANTONELLO DA MESSINA 48 CHAPTER IX ALVISE VIVARINI 58 CHAPTER X CARPACCIO 68 CHAPTER XI GIOVANNI BELLINI 81 CHAPTER XII GIOVANNI BELLINI (_continued_) 92 CHAPTER XIII CIMA DA CONEGLIANO AND OTHER FOLLOWERS OF BELLINI 103 PART II CHAPTER XIV GIORGIONE 121 CHAPTER XV GIORGIONE (_continued_) 132 CHAPTER XVI THE GIORGIONESQUE 140 CHAPTER XVII TITIAN 144 CHAPTER XVIII TITIAN (_continued_) 157 CHAPTER XIX TITIAN (_continued_) 173 CHAPTER XX PALMA VECCHIO AND LORENZO LOTTO 184