Emerging light and pastel colors greet the viewer set on the Grand Canal in this work. Lanteen-rigged Mediterranean sailing vessels, with their Venetian red-striped sails, bookend the view toward the Ducal Palace, San Marcos and the Rialto Bridge beyond. The Plaza's clock tower spire well marks the location, and the numerous gondoliers line the quay before the palace.
Paintings of Venice by W. Meadows have done well in public sales, and this work is a superior example of his, with architectural detail, a reflective sea, and great light and color, uncluttered by the modern signage and structural issues facing Venice today. This is from the artistic height of the Mediterranean, where artists worldwide considered a trip essential, and many, including Meadows, stayed on for years.
