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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 12 February 2009
In the seventeenth century, visitors to both cities were struck by the obvious physical similarities between Venice and Amsterdam. The social similarities were no less great. In a Europe mainly composed of monarchies, each was the greatest city of a republic. In a Europe where the ruling class still tended to identify with warriors, the patricians of Amsterdam and Venice were predominantly civilian. In a Europe whose political leaders usually despised trade, Venice and Amsterdam stood out as places where trade and politics could be combined with success, at least early in the seventeenth century. In a Europe whose ruling classes tended to spend most of their time on their country estates, the patricians of Venice and Amsterdam lived mainly in town.
† This paper reports some of the results of a wider study of the ruling classes of Venice and Amsterdam which should be published in book form by Maurice Temple Smith in 1974. The research in Venice and Amsterdam on which it is based was made possible by a research award from the Leverhulme Trust Fund.
1 Venetian ambassadors to the United Provinces frequently made comparisons between the two cities. See Relazioni veneziane, ed. Blok, P. J. (The Hague, 1909), pp. 15, 35, 112Google Scholar.
2 There are brief biographies of the Amsterdam elite in Elias, J. E., De vroedschap van Amsterdam (Haarlem 1903–1905)Google Scholar and biographies of the doges in da Mosto, A., I dogi di Venezia (2nd edn, Milan 1960)Google Scholar. From now on, members of the elite will be signalled in the text by an asterisk.
3 Biographies of members of the elite include Cozzi, G., Il doge Nicolò Contarini (Venice and Rome 1958)Google Scholar; Seneca, F., Leonardo Donà (Padua, 1959)Google Scholar; van Gelder, H. A. Enno, De levensbeschouwing van C. P. Hooft (Amsterdam, 1918)Google Scholar; Gebhard, J. F., Het leven van Mr Nicolaas Witsen (Utrecht, 1881)Google Scholar.
4 Cutolo, A., ‘Un diario inedito del doge Leonardo Donà’, Nuova Antologia (1953) P. 278Google Scholar.
5 This story in the ‘Relazione del’ Anonimo' (henceforth R.A.), ed. Molmenti, P. in his Curiosità di storia veneziana (Bologna, 1919), p. 414Google Scholar.
6 Mosto, Da, I dogi di Venezia, p. 435Google Scholar.
7 The terms genio spagnuolo and genio francese are used throughout the anonymous Esame Istorico Politico (MS. in Venice, Museo Correr, Gradenigo 15; henceforth E.I.P.).
8 On Corner, N.* R.A.. p. 399Google Scholar; on Dolfin, P.* R.A., p. 374Google Scholar and E.I.P., p. 49; on Contarini, D. *, de St-Didier, A., Venise (Paris, 1680), p. 180Google Scholar.
9 Sidney, H., Diary, i (London, 1843), pp. 63–66Google Scholar, reproduces letters written in August 1679.
10 SirTemple, William, Observations upon the United Provinces, ed. Clark, G. N., (Cambridge, 1932), pp. 59–60Google Scholar.
11 Coryat, T., Crudities, i (Glasgow, 1905), p. 318Google Scholar, and de St-Didier, A., Venise, p. 33Google Scholar, describe the broglio in 1608 and c. 1672 respectively.
12 da Mosta, A., op. cit., pp. 391, 441Google Scholar, on the Valiers;* on Correr, G.*, R.A., p. 405Google Scholar.
13 On Venetian academies, Battagia, M., Della accademie veneziane (Venice, 1826)Google Scholar; on the Delphic Academy, Sansovino, F., Venezia città nobilissima, ed. Martinioni, G. (Venice, 1663), p. 396Google Scholar; on the Incogniti, Lupis, A., Vita di G. F. Loredano (Venice, 1663), p. 17Google Scholar.
14 Sagredo, G.*, Arcadia in Brenta (Venice, 1669)Google Scholar, describes the flusso e riflusso delta nobiltà; I used the Bologna, 1693 edition, p. 1. The dates of the villa season in Molmenti, P., La storia di Venezia nella vita privata, 4th edn, iii (Bergamo, 1908), p. 253Google Scholar.
15 van Luttervelt, R., De buitenplaatsen aan de Vecht (s.l., 1943)Google Scholar describes them from an architectural point of view.
16 These three houses owned by William Backer*, Nikolaas Witsen* and Andries de Graeff* respectively.
17 Amsterdam, Gemeente Archief, Resolution. The volumes of ‘resolutions’ from 1650 to 1700 show the vroedschap meeting more and more rarely in June and August.
18 N. da Ponte*, L. Donà*, N. Donà*, F. Contarini*, N. Contarini*, F. Erizzo*, D. Contarini*, M. A. Giustinian*.
19 Contarini, N.*, De perfectione rerum (Venice, 1576)Google Scholar.
20 Paruta, P.*, Della perfezione della vita politica (Venice, 1579)Google Scholar; Discorsi politici (Venice, 1599)Google Scholar; Historia Vinetiana, (Venice, 1605)Google Scholar. He died in 1598.
21 Nani, B.*, Historia della Republica Veneta, i (Venice, 1662)Google Scholar.
22 Sagredo, G.*, L'Arcadia in Brenta (Venice, 1669)Google Scholar, published under the pseudonym ‘Ginnesio Gavardo Vacalerio’; Memorie istoriche de'monarchi ottomani (Venice, 1673)Google Scholar.
23 All copies of this book seem to have disappeared, but it was published in 1585, the year of the doge's death, according to Zeno, P. A., Memoria de' scrittori veneti patritii (Venice, 1662)Google Scholar, s.v. Ponte.
24 The poems of S. Contarini* and A. Ottobon* are in the Marciana in Venice; there are copies of N. Contarini*'s history in the Archivio di Stato in Venice, in the British Museum, and elsewhere.
25 G. F. Sagredo (brother of Zaccaria Sagredo*) to M. Welser, 1614, quoted by Bouwsma, W. J., Venice and the defense of republican liberty (Berkeley, 1968), p. 87Google Scholar.
26 Dotti senza professione, eruditi senza ostentatione: Arcadia in Brenta, p. 1.
27 Lupis, , Vita di G. F. Loredano, p. 25Google Scholar.
28 E.I.P., p. 34.
29 On official history, see Cozzi, G., ‘Cultura politica e religione nella pubblica storiografia veneziana’, Bollettino delta storia delta societa veneziana, v (1965)Google Scholar.
30 Relazioni degli stati europei, ed. Barozzi, N. and Berchet, G. (Venice, 1857 onwards)Google Scholar. Contarini*, quoted by Cozzi, , Il doge N. Contarini, p. 203Google Scholar.
31 Favaro, A., ‘G. F. Sagredo e la vita scientifica in Venezia’, Nuovo Arckivio Veneto, new series, iv (1902)Google Scholar.
32 A. Morosini described his academy as holding discussions de rerum natura, de moribus, de divinis rebus; quoted in Cozzi, G., ‘Federico Contarini', Bollettino delta storia delta societa Veneziana, iii (1961), p. 279Google Scholar.
33 The inventory of Contarini*'s collection is edited by M. T. Cipollato as an appendix to Cozzi's article about him.
34 A. Priuli*'s memoirs are quoted in Favaro, A., ‘Galileo e la presentazione del cann occhiale alla repubblica Veneta’, Nuovo Archivio Veneto, i (1891), p. 69Google Scholar.
35 Dimettendo ad altri le sottili e troppo curiose investigationi: Colluraffi, A., Il nobile veneto (Venice, 1623), p. 56Google Scholar.
36 Reael, L.*, Observatiën aen de magnetsteen (Amsterdam, 1651)Google Scholar. Reael died in 1637.
37 Tulp, N.*, Observationes medicae (Amsterdam, 1641)Google Scholar.
38 Commelin, J.*, Catalogus plantarum indigenarum Hollandiae (Amsterdam, 1683)Google Scholar, and other works.
39 Blaeu, J.*, Geographia (Amsterdam, 1662)Google Scholar, and other works.
40 Six, J.*, Medea (Amsterdam, 1648)Google Scholar.
41 van Beuningen, C.*, Alle de brieven ende schriften (Amsterdam, 1689)Google Scholar.
42 J. Hudde*, ‘de reductione aequationum’ and ‘de maximis et minimis’ in Descartes, R., Geometria, ed. Schooten, F. (Leiden, 1659), pp. 407–516Google Scholar.
43 Witsen, N.*, Scheepsbouw en bestier (Amsterdam, 1671)Google Scholar; Noord en Oost Tartarye (2nd edn, Amsterdam, 1705)Google Scholar.
44 Enno van Gelder, De levensbeschouwing van C. P. Hooft, appendix 2.
45 Amsterdam, Gemeente Archief, Weeskamer, Boedelpapieren, Lade 139, contains the 1594 inventory of Coster*'s books.
46 Hooft, C. P., Memoriën en Adviesen, i (Utrecht, 1871), p. 97Google Scholar.
47 This observation made by Philippe Canaye de Fresnes in 1604, quoted by Cozzi, , N. Contarini, p. 44Google Scholar.
48 Bouwsma, Venice and the defense of republican liberty.
49 Cozzi, , op. cit., pp. 211–18Google Scholar: Contarini's will, 1630 (I give no references for wills which can be found in the card–index of the Archivio di Stato in Venice).
50 Seneca, , Leonardo Donà, pp. 27–38Google Scholar.
51 A. Priuli*, will (1623).
52 A reference to his angelo custode, a new devotion in th e seventeenth century, in G. Basadonna*, will (1694).
53 Rome, Jesuit Archives, Venezia 109 c. 413, cited by Cozzi, , ‘Federico Contarini’, p. 204Google Scholar.
54 The phrase is that of the deputati alla fabrica in 1679, quoted by Moschini, G. A., La chiesa e il seminario di S. Maria della Salute (Venice, 1842), p. 27Google Scholar.
55 Ysbrant Dommer*, for example, who died c. 1582.
56 In 1590 Arminius married Lijsbeth, daughter of Laurens Reael*.
57 Bontemantel, H., De Regeering van Amsterdam, ed. Kernkamp, G. W. (Utrecht, 1897)Google Scholar, lxiv, lists H. Bontemantel*, J. van Hartogvelt*, G. Hasselaer*, H. Hooft*, S. van Hoorn*, J. Hulft*, N. van Loon*, W. van Loon*, J. van den Poll*, W. Schrijver*, and C. van Vlooswijk*.
58 The importance of this group is emphasized, indeed overemphasized, by Evenhuis, R. B., Ook dat was Amsterdam (Amsterdam, 1965–1967)Google Scholar.
59 Amsterdam, Gemeente Archief, Bicker papers, 717, pp. 218–20.
60 Paruta, P.*, Delia Perfezione della vita politica, p. 282Google Scholar; the speaker in this dialogue is Michele Surian.
61 L'honorevolezza et … la splendidezza della casa: G. Bembo*, will (1617). There are many similar phrases in proctors' wills.
62 G. de Lezze*, will (1624) mentions buying the house next door, as does G. Pesaro*, cited by Bassi, E., Architettura del ‘600 e del’ 700 a Venezia (Naples, 1968), p. 124Google Scholar.
63 A. Grimani*, will (1624); cf. the will of G. da Lezze* (1624).
64 Bassi, , op. cit., p. 58Google Scholar and p. 124.
65 Da Mosto, I Dogi di Venezia.
66 Bassi, , op cit., p. 233Google Scholar.
67 On the Huydecoper* house, see Vingboons, P., Gronden en afbeeldsels der voornaamste gebouwen (Amsterdam, 1688)Google Scholar, fo. 2r.
68 The houses of J. Bisschop* and D. Bernard* were valued at this amount in 1623 and 1714 respectively.
69 Amsterdam, Gemeente Archief, de Graeff papers, 608, fo. 82r.
70 For Venetian collections, Savini-Branca, S., Il collezionismo veneziano nel' 600 (Padua, 1964)Google Scholar; the appendix includes descriptions of the collections of fifteen members of the elite.
71 Ivanovich, C., a prolific writer of such verses, prints some in his Minerva al tavolino (Venice, 1681)Google Scholar.
72 Worsthorne, S. T., Venetian opera in the seventeenth century (Oxford, 1954), is a valuable study but identifies the owner of the S. Apollinare theatre wrongly as a Dandolo, p. 33Google Scholar; contrast Ivanovich, op. cit., p. 398.
73 Wiel, T., I codici musicali contariniani (Venice, 1888)Google Scholar, catalogues 120 MSS from the Contarini collection now in the Marciana.
74 Vos, J., Alle de gedichten (Amsterdam, 1726), pp. 323fGoogle Scholar, describes a number of collections in verse.
75 Tulp*'s protest quoted by Fremantle, K., The Baroque Town Hall of Amsterdam (Utrecht, 1959), p. 64Google Scholar; for his patronage of Potter, see Houbraken, A., De Groote Schouwburg, ii (Maastricht, 1944), p. 102Google Scholar.
76 Cuyper, A., Calvinism (London, 1932)Google Scholar, chapter on ‘Calvinism and art’.
77 Amsterdam, Gemeente Archief, Backer papers, 70.
78 Vondel dedicated King David in Ballingschap to A. de Graeff*; his translations of Oedipus Rex and Iphigenia in Tauris to J. Huydecoper*; the Batavische Gebroeders to S. van Hoorn*; and King David Hersteld to C. van Vlooswijk*.
79 Brandt, G., Leven van Vondel, ed. Leendert, S. jr (Amsterdam, 1932), p. 14Google Scholar.
80 Weisbach, W., Der Baroch als Kunst der Gegenreformation (Berlin, 1921)Google Scholar, and Wencelius, L., L'esthétique de Calvin (Paris, 1937)Google Scholar, opened the discussion.
81 Paintings by Peranda were also owned by G. Pesaro* and A. Nani*; paintings by Tinelli were owned by G. B. Corner*, A. Nani*, A. Priuli*: Savini–Branca, Il collezionismo veneziano nel' 600.
82 Bassi, , Architettura del ‘600 e del’ 700 a Venezia, p. 233Google Scholar.
83 See de Gelder, J. J., B. van der Heist (Rotterdam, 1921)Google Scholar. His sitters included D. Bernard*, R. Bicker*, F. B. Cocq*, J. Huydecoper*, J. van den Poll*, A. Pater*, C. van Vlooswijk*, C. Witsen*.
84 See von Moltke, J. W., Govert Flinch (Amsterdam, 1965)Google Scholar; the Munter portrait is no. 212 in his catalogue. De Graeff*'s friendship with Flinck is mentioned by Houbraken, , De Groote Schouwburg, ii, p. 18Google Scholar.
