Venturi, Adolfo [key], 1856–1941, Italian art historian. Director of Galleries and Museums in Italy, Venturi completed his exhaustive history of Italian art as far as the 16th cent. He was skilled in interpreting the authenticity of art works and made several significant judgments concerning important Renaissance pieces. His son, Lionello Venturi, 1885–1961, taught the history of art at the Univ. of Rome. Central to his thought was the notion that a work of art must be judged as to how well it expresses the intention of its creator. Venturi was primarily interested in modern art, believing that it informs and illuminates the art of the past. His major work is his History of Art Criticism (tr. 1936).
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