Church of San Simeone Piccolo

A view from the Church across the Waterway. Unlike his fellow 18th-century Venetian vedutiste – Canaletto – Guardi’s paintings were initially not so popular with British grand tourists. Guardi’s views of Venice were characterised by their often smaller format but also, specifically, by the artists’ loose handling of oil paint, which allowed him to explore the specific, atmospheric effects of light reflecting off Venice’s canals. This painting is also significant in that it was previously owned by George Agar-Ellis who was instrumental in the founding of the National Gallery in London.

Francesco Lazzaro Guardi (October 5, 1712 – January 1, 1793) was an Italian painter of veduta, nobleman, and a member of the Venetian School. He is considered to be among the last practitioners, along with his brothers, of the classic Venetian school of painting.