Nicolas Félix Escalier (French, 1843-1920)

Nicolas-Félix Escalier was an accomplished painter of portraiture, genre scenes and architecture. This painting includes all three genres of painting. The lively expressions of the jovial children preparing to leap into the canal creates a stark contrast with the serene journey of the boatmen. This scene plays out before Escalier's detailed depiction of the Rialto Bridge, standing proudly over the Grand Canal.