Venice: The Rialto

Curatorial Overview

“Guardi’s views of Venice were hugely popular among eighteenth-century visitors to the city, but not all were by the artist himself: his workshop reproduced compositions and motifs based on his earlier paintings and drawings, while emulators took advantage of the market for the taste he had helped to set. These pendants include several elements known from Guardi’s drawings and were most likely executed by assistants in his studio, working on the modest scale that was perfectly suited to customers seeking a souvenir but not the financial commitment of a large painting by the master.”