Venice Parties On

Sept. 7, 2004 -- — In early September, Venice hosts two grand events.

During the Historical Regatta, boats piloted by rowers wearing old-time costumes fill the Grand Canal with colorful pageantry. It's a re-creation of the city's golden age: the 14th-16th centuries.

Then the 21st century takes over, as film stars and their directors descend on the city for the Venice International Film Festival, part this year’s “La Biennale,” a celebration of cinema, architecture, dance, music and theater. The Biennale’s contemporary dance program is well under way, and the architecture show, highlighting hundreds of spectacular modern designs, is just starting. All these events underscore Venice's reputation as the place to celebrate art and life, from the golden age to the present.

While Venice isn't an art magnet like neighboring Florence (home of Michelangelo’s David), the sinking city’s museums do contain art worth seeing any time of year. Most tourists crowd into St. Mark's Basilica and St. Mark's Square, but there's much more to Venice.

The Accademia Gallery, facing the Grand Canal, is the greatest museum anywhere of Venetian Renaissance art, featuring grand canvases of bright, spacious settings packed with happy locals in opulent clothes having a wonderful time. Titian the Venetian (that rhymes) is probably the best-known artist. While Venetian art is nowhere near as famous as the work of the florescent Florentines, it’s livelier, more colorful and simply more fun, showing historical slices of Venice, ravishing nudes and very human Madonnas. The Venetians' love of luxury shines through in their paintings.

Speaking of a great party, the benefactress of another Venetian museum knew how to meet and greet the Beautiful People.

In 1948, Peggy Guggenheim retired to Venice, moving into a small palazzo on the Grand Canal. During the 1950s and 1960s, Peggy’s place was a mecca for “Moderns,” from composer Igor Stravinsky to actor Marlon Brando, from painter Mark Rothko to writer Truman Capote, from choreographer George Balanchine to Beatle John Lennon and performance artist Yoko Ono.

Today Peggy's home is a museum, decorated much as it was in her life, with a small but superb collection of 20th-century art. After strolling past graves (Peggy's and her beloved dogs), you'll wander through styles of art, represented by artists whom Peggy knew personally: Picasso and Braque (cubism); Dalí and Ernst (surrealism); Boccione (futurism); and Pollock (American abstract expressionism); plus a sprinkling of Klee, Calder and Chagall.

Venice has always been a big draw for the modern crowd, even back in the 1700s. You can visit the Ca’ Rezzonico palace, once owned by the wealthy Rezzonico family, lavishly decorated with furniture and artwork from the period. The walls are hung with dreamy paintings of Venice by Canaletto that look much like the city does today. Parties held a couple of centures ago in the ballroom overlooked shows of fireworks and acrobats performing on boats on the Grand Canal.

Whether you're cheering on rowers in the Regatta, watching the latest film, puzzling over modern art, or wandering through a kaleidoscope of 17th-century Venetian life, it's easy to be part of the party in Venice.