View of Murano

Giacomo Guardi

ca. 1804–28 · Pen and brown ink, gray wash · Robert Lehman Collection

This is one of a series of drawings, all in pen and ink, and gray wash, that formed part of an album housing forty-eight views of Venice and the surrounding islands. Recognizing the market incentive to produce rather prosaic drawings as keepsakes for visiting tourists, Giacomo made numerous such albums, repeating the compositions as necessary. The view of the Piazza San Marco, which begins the numbered series, is probably derived from some earlier drawing, painting, or print. Colonel Edward Roche, an Irish gentleman, first owned the Lehman album. His name was inscribed on its cover. The views remained intact as a family keepsake for more than a century until sold in 1956, when the drawings were dispersed.

Artist

Giacomo Guardi

Date

ca. 1804–28

Medium

Pen and brown ink, gray wash

Department

Robert Lehman Collection

Credit line

Robert Lehman Collection, 1975