Artwork
Landing in Venice. In the Distance S. Maria delle Salute
Landing in Venice. In the Distance S. Maria delle Salute is an unspecified painting by the Realist artist Wilhelm Marstrand. It dates from 1854 and is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
Wilhelm Marstrand's 1854 painting captures a Venetian arrival scene centered on the Grand Canal, where the domed silhouette of Santa Maria della Salute rises in the distance. The composition layers the city's defining elements into a single vista: gondolas ferry groups of figures across the waterway, while flanking houses frame the canal and guide the eye toward the celebrated Baroque church. By placing the basilica at the visual terminus of the canal, Marstrand foregrounds Venice's most recognizable devotional landmark as the symbolic destination of the journey, transforming a routine landing into an iconic encounter with the city.
The pairing of human activity in the foreground with the monumental sacred architecture in the background establishes a contrast between everyday Venetian life and the enduring spiritual and civic identity that the Salute represents.
Technique & Style
According to the catalogue record for the work, it measures 390 in height and 530 in width and is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst.
Landing in Venice. In the Distance S. Maria delle Salute is classified as a painting by Wilhelm Marstrand, dated 1854. According to the catalogue record for the work, it measures 390 in height and 530 in width and is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst.
The painting depicts the Grand Canal, Santa Maria della Salute, a gondola, a house, and a group of figures, indicating a cityscape composition centered on Venetian motifs with both architectural and figural elements arranged around the waterway.
No further information is provided in the available sources regarding the specific medium, support, pigments, brushwork, condition, or stylistic handling of the work.
History & Provenance
The painting is held at the Statens Museum for Kunst in Copenhagen, where it is inventoried as part of the national collection. No specific exhibition history is documented in the available sources.
Overview
Wilhelm Marstrand, a Danish artist from the Golden Age, painted Landing in Venice. In the Distance S. Maria delle Salute in 1854. This oil painting captures a vibrant scene on the Grand Canal, featuring a gondola and figures disembarking.
The renowned Santa Maria della Salute church dominates the distant background, grounding the lively depiction of Venetian life within its iconic architectural landscape. The work is part of the Statens Museum for Kunst collection.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Nicolai Wilhelm Marstrand (24 December 1810 – 25 March 1873), painter and illustrator, was born in Copenhagen, Denmark, to Nicolai Jacob Marstrand, instrument maker and inventor, and Petra Othilia Smith.
- Landing in Venice. In the Distance S. Maria delle Salute
Santa Maria della Salute, Venice
View of the Grand Canal, Venice. In the Background S. Maria della Salute
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Santa Maria della Salute and the Dogana, Venice
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The Church of Santa Maria della Salute, Venice
Venice