A Gondola on the Grand Canal, Venice

1866

William Callow

Associated Names
William Callow

Artist, British, 1812 - 1908

The image shows a canal scene in a bustling city. On the right, there are ornately decorated buildings with intricate carvings and balconies, adorned with colorful awnings and flags. The horizon is low, aligning with the rooftops under a clear blue sky. The water is turquoise and reflects the activity on the canal, with various small boats, including gondolas and sailing vessels. The brushstrokes are delicate and detailed, especially in depicting architectural elements and the rippling water. The color palette consists of azure blues, warm earth tones, and bright splashes of colors from fabrics and boat sails, contrasting with the sky and water.

Media Options

This object’s media is free and in the public domain. Read our full Open Access policy for images.

Artwork overview

  • Medium

    watercolor over graphite with gouache on wove paper, laid down

  • Credit Line

    Purchased as the Gift of Dian Woodner

  • Dimensions

    sheet: 45.4 × 35.5 cm (17 7/8 × 14 in.)

  • Accession Number

    2017.33.1


Artwork history & notes

Provenance

(sale, Sotheby's London, 26 March 1975, no. 250). (Agnew's, London). (Galerie de Cadre, Paris). (sale, Christie's London, 8 July 1997, no. 74); to Bernadette and William M. B. Berger, Denver; (sale, Sotheby's, New York, 25 January 2017, no. 99); purchased (via Stephen Ongpin) by NGA, 2017.

Associated Names

Exhibition History

1866

  • ? Summer Exhibition, Society of Painters in Water-Colours_, 1866 (as "Venice, looking up the Grand Canal").

2017

  • The Woodner Collections: Master Drawings from Seven Centuries, NGA, 2017 (no cat.).

2023

  • Drawing in Britain, 1700 - 1900: New Additions to the Collection, National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC, 2023.

Inscriptions

inscribed by the artist at lower right: William Callow 1866

Wikidata ID

Q64636624

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