Architectural folly with Roman ruins and the lagoon

Francesco
  Guardi was to investigate the theme of the "folly" several times
  during his career and this painting is from the painter’s mature phase. The
  genre was widespread in the area around Venice, where it met with great success
  in the art market of the time.
  Here
  the artist reinterprets the theme of ruin with very great sensitivity,
  inserting human artefacts in sublime natural contexts that are the true
  protagonists of the picture.