Artwork
St. Mark's Square
St. Mark's Square is a print by Giulia Zaniol. It dates from 2006 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum. Giulia Zaniang’s 2006 print titled St.
About this work
This print shows St. Mark’s Square in Venice. It’s by Giulia Zaniol, made in 2006 using etching and metallic pigments. The print belongs to a series about how tourism has changed Venice.
Zaniol won a prize for these etchings. She layered delicate color with chine collé to build depth. The square looks busy, yet quiet somehow.
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Overview
Giulia Zaniang’s 2006 print titled St. Mark’s Square depicts the famous Venetian plaza through a combination of etching and metallic pigments. Part of a series that examines the impact of mass tourism on Venice, the work presents a layered, patterned surface that evokes the city’s historic textiles while rendering the bustling yet subdued atmosphere of the square.
Subject & Meaning
The image focuses on St. Mark’s Square, one of Venice’s iconic vistas, and uses dense decorative motifs reminiscent of brocades and velvets to suggest the city’s traditional elegance. By juxtaposing a recognizable urban scene with ornamental patterning, the print comments on Venice’s shifting identity, balancing its historic fabric against the pressures of an ever‑increasing visitor flow.
Technique & Style
Zaniang employs a hybrid process that merges traditional etching with chine collé, a method of adhering thin paper fragments onto the plate before printing. Metallic pigments are applied to achieve a luminous sheen, while the patterned grounds create a tactile sense of silk and velvet. The result is a richly textured surface that conveys depth and reflective quality.
History & Provenance
The work originates from a series that earned Zaniang the Clifford Chance Purchase Prize for Postgraduate Printmaking in London, October 2006. The prize recognized her series of Venice‑inspired etchings, of which St. Mark’s Square is a central piece, and secured its acquisition for the awarding institution’s collection.
Context
Created during a period of heightened debate over tourism’s effect on Venice, the series reflects concerns about population decline and cultural commodification. By integrating motifs linked to Venice’s textile heritage, the prints situate contemporary urban change within a broader narrative of the city’s long‑standing artistic and commercial traditions.
Artist & collection
Artist
Giulia Zaniol’s prints bring Venice’s watery streets to paper. Two 2006 prints in this set—*St. Mark’s Square* and *Venice Lagoon*—capture the city’s light and currents in crisp, quiet lines. The works sit between…
