Entering a new year of exciting exhibitions and events, Telfair Museums welcomes Savannahians and guests to the Hostess City to experience Venice and the Ottoman Empire. With an opening on January 31 and running until May 4, the Jepson Center is now home to more than 100 artworks from Venice’s largest and oldest museums, offering a rare glimpse into an intriguing story of cultural and artistic exchange.

Organized by the Fondazione Musei Civici di Venezia and The Museum Box, the exhibition features paintings, costumes, textiles, leatherwork, metalwork, and ceramics from the 15th through 18th centuries.

"Our visitors are in for a fascinating experience as they encounter rare and wonderful artifacts that are being lent by some of the greatest museums in Venice, Italy,” said David Brenneman, Telfair Museums Executive Director and CEO. The exhibition tells the untold story of the complex and culturally rich relationship between two great European seafaring superpowers of the Renaissance and Baroque periods, the Republic of Venice and the Ottoman Empire. Savannah’s international presence as the third busiest seaport in the United States makes the arrival of Venice and the Ottoman Empire even more special. The port's top import commodities include furniture and retail consumer goods, providing a uniquely modern perspective that explores global trade from past to present. “Savannah is in for a special treat. We are excited not to just welcome guests to experience this groundbreaking exhibition, but also to join us for the many enriching programs and events that will be held at Telfair Museums in connection with the show,” Brenneman continued.

Historical Ottoman designs inspired 20th-century textile and fashion designer Mariano Fortuny y Madrazo to create the luminous fabrics that are still manufactured in Venice and prized by connoisseurs today. “Our team has created a beautiful presentation that will help visitors step into this world of cultural exchange and political intrigue,” said Elyse Gerstenecker, curator of decorative arts. “I am especially thrilled for visitors to have the opportunity to see the fascinating paintings and exquisite textiles in the exhibition,” concluded Gerstenecker.

Telfair Museums invites the community and beyond to celebrate the arrival of this exhibition with a Free Family Day on March 29 and more! Please visit www.Telfair.org/Venice to learn more.

The exhibition is organized by the Fondazione Musei Civici di Venezia and The Museum Box and presented by Telfair Museums.