Procession in St. Mark’s Square in Venice, 1496 Venice was one of the world’s great trading centers in the fifteenth century. Its merchant houses connected Europe to Asia and the Middle East, while its complex republican government aroused both admiration and mistrust. Here, Venetian painter Gentile Bellini (c. 1429–1507) depicts a diplomatic procession celebrating the League of Venice, a union of European states opposed to French expansion into Italy. Galleria dell ’Accademia, Venice, Italy/Giraudon/The Bridgeman Art Library.
