Giuseppe Bernardino Bison

Window mounted, with mount covering the edges of the sheet, recto. Some staining and foxing, more visible in the upper section of the sheet. A more prominent brown stain towards the right margin in the center. Some surface dirt. Medium remains fresh. Sold in wooden gilded frame.
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.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Bison, a prolific and extremely skilful draftsman, employed a variety of media in creating very finished works on paper, which he sold as works of art in their own right, not only to local collectors but surely also to the many visitors who wanted memories of their Venetian trips.  In this pen and ink view of the entrance to the Grand Canal, he carried forward an illustrious tradition established by earlier Venetian painters, whose evocative images of familiar places and subjects had made Venetian views so popular with art collectors.  In this sheet we can clearly see the influences of both Guardi and Canaletto, but the personal style of Bison is evident in the rendering of the boat in the left foreground.  His long career spanned the last quarter of the 18th century and the first half of the 19th.