The Whistler House Museum of Art is proud to host author and professor Christopher Carlsmith of UMASS Lowell.
In 1966, the most destructive flood in the history of Venice temporarily submerged the city and threatened its extraordinary art and architecture. Among the organizations that mobilized to protect this fragile heritage was Save Venice Inc. Founded in Boston and now headquartered in New York City, this nonprofit has become the largest and most active committee dedicated to preserving the artistic legacy of Venice.
Christopher Carlsmith tells the fascinating story of Save Venice Inc., from its origins to its fiftieth anniversary. Save Venice Inc. continues to provide an influential model for philanthropy in the cultural sector, raising substantial funds to conserve and restore paintings, sculptures, books, mosaics, and entire buildings at risk from human and environmental impacts.
In his new book, Save Venice Inc.: American Philanthropy and Art Conservation in Italy, 1966–2021, Carlsmith employs extensive archival research, oral interviews, and newspaper accounts to explore a range of topics, including leadership, conservation projects, fundraising, and educational outreach. With a range of methodologies from cultural history and art history, Carlsmith traces the achievements and challenges faced by this and other historic preservation organizations and by this unique city on the sea.
Christopher Carlsmith is a professor of history and the department chair at the University of Massachusetts Lowell. He is author of A Renaissance Education: Schooling in Bergamo and the Venetian Republic, 1500–1650 (2010) and of numerous articles about the history of early modern education, the reception of Renaissance art and architecture during the Gilded Age in the USA, and the history of academic societies.
