Artwork
The island of Anconetta, Venice
The island of Anconetta, Venice is an oil painting by Francesco Guardi. It dates from 1762 and is held in the collection of the Fitzwilliam Museum.
About this work
Overview
Francesco Guardi’s oil painting of the island of Anconetta captures a tranquil Venetian lagoon scene. The composition centers on the modest landmass, its modest architecture—most notably a church—nestled amid gentle water. Small figures navigate a boat in the foreground, while a sky mottled with clouds stretches overhead, creating a balanced view of water, sky, and built form.
Subject & Meaning
The work depicts Anconetta, a lesser‑known island that forms part of Venice’s intricate network of islands. By focusing on its quiet streets and the everyday activity of a lone boat, Guardi emphasizes the peaceful rhythm of Venetian life away from the bustling grand canals, inviting viewers to contemplate the subtle charm of peripheral urban spaces.
Technique & Style
Executed in oil, the painting reveals Guardi’s characteristic loose brushwork, with visible strokes that convey texture in water and architecture.
Executed in oil, the painting reveals Guardi’s characteristic loose brushwork, with visible strokes that convey texture in water and architecture. A palette of soft blues, muted greens, and warm earth tones renders the scene with atmospheric depth, while the handling of light suggests a fleeting moment, reflecting Guardi’s shift from the precise vedute of his early career toward a more impressionistic approach.
History & Provenance
Created circa 1762, the canvas belongs to the period when Guardi, after his brother’s death in 1760, turned increasingly toward cityscape subjects. The painting entered the collection of the Fitzwilliam Museum, where it remains part of the institution’s holdings of 18th‑century Venetian art, providing a representative example of Guardi’s later vedute.
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.
