Un nuovissimo romanzo è ambientato nella Venezia rinascimentale e nel suo potente Arsenale (quello dove si tiene la Biennale)
Allegra Scattaglia and Luca Josi have co-authored a new novel titled "Venetians – Il segreto dell’Arsenale," published by Sonzogno. Set in Renaissance Venice, the story follows young patrician Marcantonio Bragadin as he becomes entangled in a plot driven by the city's sophisticated and ruthless political system. The narrative highlights the Arsenal, one of the world's first proto-industrial shipbuilding complexes, which also hosts the Venice Biennale. The book weaves together art, technology, diplomacy, and intrigue, featuring historical figures such as Titian, Tintoretto, Albrecht Dürer, Leonardo da Vinci, and Aldus Manutius.
This article matters because it connects contemporary art audiences—who will soon walk through the Arsenal during the Biennale—to the deep historical and industrial roots of that very space. By framing Venice as a permanent laboratory of innovation where art, science, and power converged, the novel and the article invite readers to see the city not just as a backdrop for exhibitions but as a living, complex system that shaped modernity. It underscores how the Biennale's venue is itself a historical artifact of immense significance, enriching the cultural experience of visitors.