Venetian art connoisseur, interior designer, and hotelier Francesca Bortolotto Possati knows the intricacies of Venice. To have her as a guide is to experience firsthand her passion for the private side of the mythic city whose daily visitors outnumber its population. Join her to visit artists’ studios, elegant Venetian friends, and palaces’ secrets. Everywhere one wanders, a sense of history saturates the buildings and landscapes, harking back to the artists of the Renaissance and the chic masquerade balls of centuries past.
The discerning eye of photographer Robyn Lea makes this book a revelation of the Venice of dreams, which will surely allow readers to see this iconic destination through new eyes.
A sentimental foreword by Jeremy Irons perfectly complements this stunning volume.
Bortolotto Possati is the CEO of Venice’s Bauer Hotel group. A native of the city, she is greatly involved in its culture as a patron of the arts and board member of Save Venice Inc., a foundation dedicated to restoring important works of Venetian architecture and art. She also sponsors the Zuecca Project Space, a non-profit area that hosts exhibitions for local and international art communities. Bortolotto Possati presents the Ca’ Foscari Award at Venice’s international literary festival each year. She co-authored Celebrate in Venice with Csaba dalla Zorza, published in 2012.
British actor Jeremy Irons trained at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School and began his career in 1969, appearing in the West End theatre production of Godspell. He made his Broadway debut in 1984 with The Real Thing, directed by Mike Nichols, winning a Tony Award for Best Actor. Irons is also well known for his television and film work, including The French Lieutenant’s Woman, Dead Ringers, Reversal of Fortune, The Mission and Lolita. He is one of the few actors honored with the Triple Crown of Acting: Academy, Emmy, and Tony awards.
Over the last two decades, Australian-born Robyn Lea has become an internationally renowned photographer, TV commercial director, and writer. She has worked around the globe for clients such as Peroni, Kodak, Time, Vogue, and Harper’s Bazaar. Her book Dinner with Jackson Pollock: Recipes, Art & Nature was published by Assouline in 2015.
Assouline’s Ultimate Collection is an homage to the art of luxury bookmaking. Hand-bound using traditional techniques, with color plates hand-tipped on art-quality paper, each page of this limited-edition series bears the unique imprint of the artisan. Treating a range of topics from jewelry and fashion, fine art and the ‘Impossible Collections,’ the Ultimate Collection curates culture from around the world and across the ages. Nestled in linen clamshell presentation cases, these books attract collectors, lovers of the printed page, and those who devour the culture of our time. Signaling a new level of sophistication for true connoisseurs, these unique books are works of art in their own right.
