Francesco Guardi (Venice 1712-1793)

Piazza San Marco was one of the most sought-after views of Venice, and as such is one of the most painted scenes in the oeuvre of Francesco Guardi. Morassi lists at least twenty-eight variants of the Piazza (Morassi, op. cit., nos. 314-341, figs. 339-368). This painting, however, together with a similar picture in the J. Johnson Collection, Philadelphia, is a rare example of the Piazza seen not thriving with energy, but peaceful, with the figures calmly going about their business. The square is beautifully illuminated, the light of the sun highlighting the white cloud and the Torre dell’Orologio to the left, shimmering against the gold mosaics of the Basilica, and lighting up the right half of the Piazza, thus cleverly leading the viewer's eye through the scene.