Francesco Guardi

Sale, Paris, Hôtel Drouot, 14 November 1919, lot 23;
sale, London, Christie's, 20 March 1973, lot 119;
with P. & D. Colnaghi, London, Pictures from the Grand Tour, 1978, no. 69;
sale, New York, Sotheby's, 9 January 1980, lot 74

A. Morassi, Guardi, Tutti i Disegni..., Venice 1975, p. 150, no. 406, reproduced fig. 409;
idem., Guardi I Disegni, Venice 1993, p. 150, no. 406, reproduced fig. 409

Hinged to the mount at the upper margin. Overall the sheet is in very good condition. There is a small crease in the paper, lower right. The grey wash on the verso is slightly visible on the recto. There are a few faint brown stains, barely visible on the recto, more apparent on the verso. The medium remains vibrant and fresh and the paper remains in good condition.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

This very attractive sheet depicts La Fenice, the opera house in Campo S. Fantin, Venice.  It is one of three known drawings of the subject which he made towards the end of his life.  The construction of the theatre began in 1770 and was finished in 1792, just a year prior to Guardi's death.  It was an ambitious project by the architect G.A. Selva and its completion contributed considerably to the international cultural standing of the city, placing Venice alongside Paris, London and Vienna as one of the leading theatrical centres of the 18th Century. 

The other two drawings of La Fenice are in the Museo Correr, Venice and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.¹  Of the three, Byam Shaw concluded that the present drawing was the most accurate with regard to proportions and its relation to the surrounding buildings.²  These drawings exemplify Francesco's late style and are some of his last recorded sketches.  In all three versions we see the theatre lit by a golden sun.  In the Correr version the theatre is seen from an angle, Guardi is not using proper perspective but creating his own from a fantastical viewpoint.  In the Metropolitan drawing, he has placed the theatre closer to the picture plane and gives the building more prominence, using bolder lines, and giving more definition to the surrounding architecture.  In our version we view the theatre face on and Guardi narrows the view, placing less emphasis on the surrounding buildings and using them more as a framing device to highlight La Fenice.  In all three we see Francesco's characteristic penmanship of slightly quavering lines and rapid strokes.  The golden brown wash applied to the present sheet, used to create shadows cast by the sun, is subtle yet powerful.

On the verso is a sketch of a section of a courtyard, with grey wash probably applied by Giacomo, Francesco's son.  Giacomo often added washes to his father's sketches, continuing to work in Francesco's studio after his death.  The same application of grey wash is on the verso of the Metropolitan version.

La Fenice (fig. 1) still operates today, having been twice destroyed by fire and rebuilt, once in 1836 and again in 1996.

1. A. Morassi, op. cit., 1975, p. 150, nos. 404 and 405
2. A. Morassi, op. cit., 1975, p. 150, under no. 406