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Venice

1880–82
Not on view
In his oils of Venice from the early 1880s, Sargent avoided the picturesque and touristic views painted by many of his contemporaries. Instead, he depicted Venetians engaged in quotidian activities in subdued interiors and in the city’s narrow, dark alleys and passageways. He probably made this watercolor in preparation for one such composition. The sheet offers an oblique view into a shallow, stage-like space, and it emphasizes the dynamic recession of the planes of the street. An acquaintance who saw these works observed: "They are very clever but a good deal inspired by the desire of finding what no one else has sought here—unpicturesque subjects, absence of color, absence of sunlight."

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Venice
  • Artist: John Singer Sargent (American, Florence 1856–1925 London)
  • Date: 1880–82
  • Culture: American
  • Medium: Watercolor and graphite on white wove paper
  • Dimensions: 9 7/8 x 14 in. (25.1 x 35.6 cm)
    Mat: 14 1/4 × 19 1/4 in. (36.2 × 48.9 cm)
    Framed (standard exhibition frame): 16 1/4 × 21 1/4 × 1 1/8 in. (41.3 × 54 × 2.9 cm)
  • Credit Line: Gift of Mrs. Francis Ormond, 1950
  • Object Number: 50.130.29
  • Curatorial Department: The American Wing

More Artwork

More Artwork
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Mountain Landscape (from "Splendid Mountain Watercolours" Sketchbook), John Singer Sargent American, Graphite on off-white wove paper, American
Mountain Landscape (from "Splendid Mountain Watercolours" Sketchbook)
John Singer Sargent
1870
Wetterhorn, Grindelwald (from "Splendid Mountain Watercolours" Sketchbook), John Singer Sargent American, Watercolor and graphite on off-white wove paper, American
Wetterhorn, Grindelwald (from "Splendid Mountain Watercolours" Sketchbook)
John Singer Sargent
1870
Mount Pilatus, recto (from "Splendid Mountain Watercolours" Sketchbook), John Singer Sargent American, Wax crayon on off-white wove paper, American
Mount Pilatus, recto (from "Splendid Mountain Watercolours" Sketchbook)
John Singer Sargent
1870
Mountain View, Mürren (from "Splendid Mountain Watercolours" Sketchbook), John Singer Sargent American, Watercolor and graphite on off-white wove paper, American
Mountain View, Mürren (from "Splendid Mountain Watercolours" Sketchbook)
John Singer Sargent
1870
View from Schilthorn (from "Splendid Mountain Watercolours" Sketchbook), John Singer Sargent American, Graphite on off-white wove paper, American
View from Schilthorn (from "Splendid Mountain Watercolours" Sketchbook)
John Singer Sargent
1870

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