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View of Venice [lower right block]

Jacopo de' Barbari

1500

ink

paper

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Renaissance Renaissance Cityscape

Dominant colour

View of Venice [lower right block] is a 1500 ink by Jacopo de' Barbari, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.

Who painted this?: Jacopo de' Barbari
When & what style?: 1500 · Renaissance
Where can I see it?: National Gallery of Art

About this work

This drawing shows Venice packed with boats, buildings, and tiny people. The water is full of ships—some small, some huge—crowded near docks and bridges. The city’s rooftops and towers fill the background, while the waves at the bottom look choppy. Notice how the artist used sharp lines to show every sail, window, and wave. This was made by cutting shapes into wood, then printing them—like a stencil. Next, look up woodcut to see how this printing trick worked.