In the 1500s, Renaissance Venice was in full bloom. Situated on Italy’s northeastern coast, Venice’s port linked Europe to the Islamic world. Ships came and went, bringing pigments, spices, and luxury objects. In Venetian homes, the mixture of objects was eclectic—from local maiolica to Islamic metalware, from Buddhist ceramics to Chinese porcelain. At the Gardiner Museum, over 100 such objects are on view, including carpets, velvets, paintings, and prints. The mixture illustrates Venice’s role as a cultural nexus, and draws comparisons with globalization and city life today. —E.C.