From views of charming historic storefronts to towering industrial structures and shiny examples of modern design, the watermedia paintings featured here glorify the beauty in the built environment.
A HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE
Like many of his contemporaries, Sargent was captivated by Venice and visited the city frequently between 1898 and 1913. For the focal point of this watercolor, he chose the relatively obscure yet scenic 11th-century tower of the Church of San Barnaba. He positioned himself close to the water, as if in a gondola, to present a view looking down the Rio de San Barnaba toward the Grand Canal. Sargent’s watercolors are admired for their fluid spontaneity, evident here in his rendering of the rippling water of the canal as it reflects the nearby architecture and bright sunlight. One contemporary critic celebrated Sargent’s powers of observation and representation when discussing this watercolor, explaining, “His sensitive faculties rejoice in the magic of Italian form and color.”
In Watercolor Mastery – Light & Shadow, Richard Russell Sneary presents a masterclass in turning everyday scenes into a painting rich with story and full of drama.
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