Venice: La Serenissima

Venice: La Serenissima from Assouline’s Ultimate Collection celebrates more than a thousand years of history in one of the world’s most extraordinary cities. Written by Venetian historian Alberto Toso Fei and introduced by renowned architect Peter Marino, the book explores a city shaped by water, power, art, and imagination, where history, architecture, culture, and spirituality intertwine.

Through some sixty defining moments, the story unfolds from the legendary founding of Venice in 421 CE and the powerful rule of the Doges to the rise of the Venetian Republic, its maritime dominance, and extraordinary artistic legacy. The journey continues into modern Venice, with figures such as Peggy Guggenheim and the cultural influence of the Venice Biennale.

Photography by Helmut Newton and Cecil Beaton appears alongside artworks and rare archival material, creating a rich visual portrait of the city. Presented in an exclusive clamshell featuring Canaletto’s The Bucintoro Returning to the Molo on Ascension Day, Venice: La Serenissima is an exceptional collector’s edition for lovers of Venice, art, architecture, and cultural history.