Francesco Guardi

The canvas is lined, the paint surface is slightly dirty and the varnish is discoloured. Inspection under ultraviolet light is impeded by the thick, milky varnish but reveals areas of small retouchings in the clouds in the sky, as well as slightly larger, more concentrated areas towards the upper margin, the largest of which measures 2 x 2 cm. There are other small, scattered retouchings in the water and to the prow of the central gondola. Offered in a carved and gilt wood frame with minor losses.
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The great island monastery of San Giorgio Maggiore, with its church designed by Andrea Palladio and completed in 1610, was one of Guardi's most popular views, and nearly thirty autograph versions are recorded. The view in this hitherto unknown and unpublished work is taken from the Bacino di San Marco looking south west, narrowly omitting the Giudecca on the right hand side of the composition. The view of the island from this angle is unusual, and Morassi records only one other, a small canvas in the Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute, Williamstown (Mass.).¹ Both are likely to be works of the artist's maturity.

We are grateful to Charles Beddington for confirming the attribution upon inspection of the original.

1. A. Morassi, Guardi. I Dipinti, Venice 1993, vol. I, p. 392, cat. no. 435, reproduced vol. II, fig. 456.