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The Grand Canal, Venice (c 1837)
Joseph Mallord William Turner (1775-1851)
oil on canvas, 59 1/4 x 44 1/4 inches
In this depiction of Venice's Grand Canal flooded with light, Turner displays the chromatic brilliance that made him one of the leading artists of his day and a key figure in the Romantic movement. Like many of his contemporaries, he was drawn to this magical city of extraordinary light and exotic buildings. When this work was shown at the Royal Academy in 1837, it was simply called "Scene--a Street in Venice" in the catalogue. However, it was exhibited with a quotation from Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice (Act III, scene iii):
Antonio: Hear me yet, good Shylock.
Shylock: I'll have my bond.
That text suggested there was a narrative element to the subject. In fact, at the lower right edge, Shylock, a paper, knife and scales in hand, leans over to confront the viewer. His action and those of the other figures in this crowded scene of pageantry are difficult to interpret. The narrative, however, is less important that the sheer beauty of the picture and the display of Turner's painterly talents. The painting was acquired by Mr. Huntington in 1922.
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