“What News on the Rialto?” Business and Commerce in Medieval and Renaissance Venice

Venice is known for the magnificent palaces that line its canals and the dazzling paintings and

sculptures that adorn its churches. But where did the money come from to create and purchase

this beauty? This talk explores the commercial and business history of the Most Serene

Republic. It examines the multiple keys to Venetian commercial power in the Middle Ages and

Renaissance and examines the panoply of skills it took to be a successful merchant of Venice. It

concludes with a consideration of the impact of commerce on the city’s life and culture and the