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The Island of San Michele, Venice

1770s
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 644
Guardi’s views of Venice differ from those of Canaletto in that they are less detailed descriptions of individual buildings than attempts to convey the magic of the city, enveloped—as here—in a diaphanous, silvery light. This painting shows the cemetery island of San Michele with its early Renaissance church, designed by Mauro Codussi in 1469, at center. Flanking the church are the domed Cappella Emiliani and the Gothic bell tower on one side and the (former) Camaldolensian monastery on the other.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: The Island of San Michele, Venice
  • Artist: Francesco Guardi (Italian, Venice 1712–1793 Venice)
  • Date: 1770s
  • Medium: Oil on canvas
  • Dimensions: 19 × 30 3/4 in. (48.3 × 78.1 cm)
  • Classification: Paintings
  • Credit Line: Bequest of Mrs. Charles Wrightsman, 2019
  • Object Number: 2019.141.13
  • Curatorial Department: European Paintings

More Artwork

More Artwork
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Capriccio with Roman Ruins, Francesco Guardi Italian, Pen and brown ink, brush and brown wash, over graphite; framing lines in pen and brown ink drawn by the artist; sheet glued onto secondary paper support
Capriccio with Roman Ruins
Francesco Guardi
18th century
The Arcade of the Libreria, Looking Toward San Giorgio Maggiore, Francesco Guardi Italian, Pen and brown ink, brush and brown wash
The Arcade of the Libreria, Looking Toward San Giorgio Maggiore
Francesco Guardi
1712–93
Lagoon Capriccio with an Obelisk, Francesco Guardi Italian, Pen and brown ink, brush and gray wash, over black chalk
Lagoon Capriccio with an Obelisk
Francesco Guardi
ca. 1750–70
View of Piazza with Basilica of San Marco, Francesco Guardi Italian, Pen and brown ink, brush and brown wash. Framing lines in pen and brown ink at left and right margins. Pricked for transfer
View of Piazza with Basilica of San Marco
Francesco Guardi
1712–93
Bullbaiting in a Venetian Piazza, Francesco Guardi Italian, Pen and brown ink
Bullbaiting in a Venetian Piazza
Francesco Guardi
1712–93

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