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Venetian Canal

1913
Not on view
Like many of his contemporaries, Sargent was captivated by Venice and visited the city frequently between 1898 and 1913. For the focal point of this watercolor, he chose the relatively obscure yet scenic eleventh-century tower of the Church of San Barnaba. He positioned himself close to the water, as if in a gondola, to present a view looking down the Rio de San Barnaba toward the Grand Canal. Sargent’s watercolors are admired for their fluid spontaneity, evident here in his rendering of the rippling water of the canal as it reflects the nearby architecture and bright sunlight. One contemporary critic celebrated Sargent’s powers of observation and representation when discussing this watercolor, explaining, "His sensitive faculties rejoice in the magic of Italian form and color."

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Venetian Canal
  • Artist: John Singer Sargent (American, Florence 1856–1925 London)
  • Date: 1913
  • Culture: American
  • Medium: Watercolor and graphite on off-white wove paper
  • Dimensions: 15 3/4 x 21 in. (40 x 53.3 cm)
    Mat: 22 × 28 in. (55.9 × 71.1 cm)
    Framed (standard exhibition frame): 24 1/2 × 30 1/2 × 1 1/8 in. (62.2 × 77.5 × 2.9 cm)
  • Credit Line: Purchase, Joseph Pulitzer Bequest, 1915
  • Object Number: 15.142.10
  • Curatorial Department: The American Wing

More Artwork

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Mountain Landscape (from "Splendid Mountain Watercolours" Sketchbook), John Singer Sargent American, Graphite on off-white wove paper, American
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John Singer Sargent
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Wetterhorn, Grindelwald (from "Splendid Mountain Watercolours" Sketchbook), John Singer Sargent American, Watercolor and graphite on off-white wove paper, American
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John Singer Sargent
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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)
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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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