Walter Sickert visited Venice four times between 1895 and 1904. There are at least six other versions of this composition and it has been suggested that he had seen Monet's famous series of the façade of Rouen Cathedral, in Paris, while travelling to Venice for the first time. During a career of some 60 years, Sickert's output was prolific and covered a wide range of subjects. This work pre-dates the urban interiors and domestic dramas of his 'Camden Town' period.