Venice, Myth and Utopian Thought in the Sixteenth Century

The concept of Venice as the 'most perfect republic' was a major part of the myth of Venice which reached its full flowering in the 16th century. This myth in turn fed utopian visions of a unified world in which universal reformation and brotherhood would be the hallmark. The essays here examine the ideas and motivation of three Frenchmen of the 16th century, Jean Bodin, Guillaume Postel and Dionisio Gallo, who each made their own contribution to this conception of Venice and developed their own utopian ideals. Themes discussed are the foundations of Venetian toleration, the reasons for God's love of Venice above any other city, the relationship between charity and restitution, and the role of sexual dualism as a paradigm for the ideal state. Particular attention is given to the enigmatic figure of the 'Virgin of Venice'.