Female Musical Patronage in the first half of the 20th century Venice

Abstract

The object of this research is the phenomenon of female patronage in Venice during the first half of the Twentieth Century, focusing in particular on the figure of Olga Levi. The main perspectives employed in the analysis are two: the historical-musicological one and the sociological one. First, it is discussed what female patronage is and the historical and geopolitical frame in which it takes place. An analysis of the socio-historical roots of this practice in Europe in general and in Venice in particular is done. The enquiry proceeds then with the key issues regarding this custom, its relevance and how it became an outlet for women to express their artistic inclinations. Female patronage is framed also through the sociological approach: the gender issues, the mediations and the creation of social networks. Particular focus is then dedicated to the practice of the Musical Salon, its importance as a place of cultural nurturement of both artists and patrons. The issue of mediation and of networks is reprised and further studied along with those of collecting and the circulation of culture. The last part of the research is devoted to the figure of Olga Levi, patron of a local venetian choir company, who held in her house numerous salons. The purpose of this research is to shed light to a practice close to “concealed” work and whose endeavors often remain unknown in the eyes of the general public, which often sees only the tip of the iceberg: the cultural outcomes.