Artwork
Piazza San Marco
Piazza San Marco is an oil painting by the Rococo painting artist Francesco Guardi. It dates from 1768 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The depiction emphasizes the civic and religious architecture that defines the piazza, presenting it as a recognizable emblem of the city's built environment.
Francesco Guardi's 1768 oil painting portrays the Piazza San Marco, focusing on its principal architectural landmarks, the Doge's Palace and St Mark's Campanile, along with surrounding buildings and the open urban space. By rendering these iconic structures in detail, the work functions as a veduta that records the physical character of Venice's central square. The depiction emphasizes the civic and religious architecture that defines the piazza, presenting it as a recognizable emblem of the city's built environment.
Technique & Style
Francesco Guardi's depiction of Piazza San Marco is executed in oil paint on canvas, a standard support for Venetian view painting of the period. The work measures 68.9 cm in height by 85.7 cm in width, a horizontal orientation suited to the broad sweep of the architectural ensemble. The composition encompasses the piazza, the Doge's Palace, St Mark's Campanile, surrounding buildings, and the cityscape.
Guardi's technique reflects the vedutisti tradition, using oil to render the architectural landmarks and atmospheric qualities of the Venetian square. The painting is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
History & Provenance
Francesco Guardi executed the oil painting Piazza San Marco in 1768. The work, measuring 68.9 by 85.7 centimeters, depicts the Venetian square including the Doge's Palace and St Mark's Campanile. It was formerly owned by Mary Emma Stillman Harkness and now resides in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.
The available sources do not contain a specific accession number or a detailed record of past exhibitions for this work.
Overview
This oil painting depicts Venice's iconic Piazza San Marco. It captures the expansive public space, bustling with figures in period attire, under a bright sky. The composition highlights the architectural splendor of the surrounding buildings, including the prominent bell tower and the grand basilica in the distance. The artist's detailed rendering conveys a sense of the square's vibrant atmosphere and monumental scale.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Francesco Lazzaro Guardi (Italian pronunciation:; 5 October 1712 – 1 January 1793) was an Italian painter, nobleman, and a member of the Venetian School.
- Piazza San Marco
Piazza San Marco, Venice
Piazza San Marco Looking South and West
Piazza San Marco, Venice
The Piazza San Marco, Venice
The Piazza San Marco (with view west)
Piazza San Marco, Venice
The Torre dell’Orologio in Piazza San Marco
Piazza San Marco
The Piazza San Marco
Venice: The Piazza San Marco Looking West