Fantastic Landscape

This imaginary landscape, or capriccio, is one of three in The Met’s collection from the castle of Colloredo di Monte Albano, near Udine. Their sizes and shapes seem to have been adjusted by Guardi in the course of painting or immediately thereafter, probably in order to be fit into decorative plaster surrounds. Guardi built these picturesque compositions from rocky outcroppings, slanting tree trunks, and classical ruins, which are populated by fishermen and their families.