Artwork
Santa Maria Della Salute #1
Santa Maria Della Salute #1 is a print by Mortimer Menpes. It dates from 1910 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
Overview
Santa Maria Della Salute #1 is a 1910 print by British artist Mortimer Menpes, depicting the Venetian church of Santa Maria della Salute. The work is part of a series capturing Venetian architecture and is held in the collection of The Cleveland Museum of Art. Rendered in a precise, tonal style, it emphasizes structural form over narrative, focusing on the building’s presence against the lagoon.
Subject & Meaning
Its placement suggests a quiet harmony between sacred architecture and daily life, as small boats moored nearby hint at ordinary activity.
The print centers on the church’s monumental dome and twin bell towers, rising directly from the water’s edge. Its placement suggests a quiet harmony between sacred architecture and daily life, as small boats moored nearby hint at ordinary activity. The composition avoids human figures, instead conveying stillness and permanence through the building’s enduring silhouette against the reflective surface of the canal.
Technique & Style
Menpes employed a drypoint etching technique to render sharp, incised lines and deep shadows. The contrast between light and dark—chiaroscuro—accentuates the church’s architectural volume, particularly the dome’s curvature and the arches beneath. The water is suggested with minimal, fluid strokes, allowing the building’s rigid geometry to dominate the composition and create a sense of quiet monumentality.
History & Provenance
Created during Menpes’s travels in Italy, the print belongs to a body of work produced after his 1909 visit to Venice. It was likely made in his London studio from on-site sketches. The Cleveland Museum of Art acquired the print in the 20th century as part of its growing collection of modern prints, reflecting early 20th-century interest in European architectural subjects.
Context
Menpes’s work emerged during a period when artists increasingly turned to urban and architectural subjects as subjects of aesthetic study. His focus on Santa Maria della Salute aligns with broader late-19th- and early-20th-century trends in printmaking that valued precise draftsmanship and atmospheric tone over romanticized scenery, reflecting a shift toward modernist observation.
Legacy
Though not widely exhibited, the print remains a representative example of Menpes’s architectural etchings, illustrating his skill in translating stone and water into tonal harmony. It contributes to the understanding of how British artists engaged with Italian landmarks during the early modern period, preserving a quiet, unembellished record of Venice’s built environment.
Artist & collection
