The Piazza San Marco
1874
chalk
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
About the artist
Artist
Rudolf von Alt
Rudolf von Alt (1812–1905) was an artist, born in Vienna.
See the richer artist page1874
chalk
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
The Piazza San Marco is a 1874 chalk by Rudolf von Alt, a Impressionism work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This watercolor shows a busy square with grand buildings on either side. The left side has a tall, ornate church with columns and a clock tower. On the right, a long, arched building with balconies and flags stands out. People in old-fashioned clothes walk, chat, and gather in small groups, while pigeons scatter on the ground. The artist used light, loose brushstrokes to capture the bright daylight and the way shadows fall. The buildings look detailed but soft, blending colors like the sky’s blue and the warm tones of the stone. Next, check out the technique: watercolor to see how artists mix paint and paper for this dreamy effect.
Rudolf von Alt (1812–1905) was an artist, born in Vienna.
See the richer artist page
