‘Ferdinand’s life-long fascination with merry-go-rounds, popular feasts and fireworks culminated in Venice in a series of sixty paintings of all sizes, bathed in a strange light that reveals the magic of simple things.’
During the four months that Ferdinand du Puigaudeau spent in Venice, he worked fervently. His friend Paul Mezzare lent him a studio in his warehouse, and this enabled Puigaudeau to work on large scale canvases in peace. The lights and architectural splendor of this city steeped in art history provided a constant source of inspiration for the artist who, when not painting in his studio, spent hours roaming the city: ‘The nights of Venice fascinated him. We never went home before four o’clock in the morning’ (Madame du Puigaudeau quoted in, A. Laurentin, op. cit., Paris, 1989, p. 101).
The present work is an atmospheric rendering of the Venetian canals with a view of St Mark’s Basilica. Low lying Venetian gondolas offer a visual contrast to the towers of St Mark’s and the sails of nearby feluccas. The famous Venetian landmark is silhouetted against the bright night sky indicative of the artist’s unusual perspectival cropping of the composition. Puigaudeau employs feathered impressionist brushstrokes to capture the effect of the moonlight upon the water, instilling into the scene a sense of dynamism. The present work is a compelling example of a key tenet of Impressionism, the desire to capture the varying effects of light in changing conditions, whilst also evoking a quiet sense of wonder for the city that so inspired the artist.
‘On the 15th of August at four o’clock in the morning we entered the Grand Canal for the first time. The sun seemed to entertain himself in covering the palaces with precious stones to fill us with marvel and enjoy our surprise. We remained there four months, every evening we’d plan to leave and the next morning we’d decide to stay.’