Venice

James Holland (1800-1870)
View of Venice

Watercolour over pencil heightened with bodycolour
31.8 by 93cm., 12 ½ by 36 ½ inches


This view is taken from near the Giardini Pubblici or Public Gardens in eastern Venice. To the left is the domed church of Santa Maria della Salute with the Doge's Palace, the Campanile and the domes of the Basilica di San Marco to the right. A sketch by Holland taken from the same point is recorded with Anthony Reed in 1985.

Holland was captivated by Venice - he first visited the city in 1835 and returned on numerous occasions including four times between 1860 and 1865 alone. Randall Davies wrote:

`it is by the Venetian subjects of his later years that he will be best remembered and most highly regarded. In these he developed a style and treatment - in which bodycolour was freely used - almost as distinctive as Prout's. For these he reserved a palette rich in delicious blues, rose mudder and other rare delicacies not to be found in his earlier works.'

Provenance:
With Thos. Agnew & Sons, 1897

Exhibited:
London, Society of Painters in Water-colour, 1862