catalog text
"A VENETIAN CAPRICCIO LANDSCAPE" BY JAMES SALT (BRITISH, 1850-1903)
Signed lower right "J. Salt" in red script; executed in oil on canvas
Item # 006KGR27P
An evocative nostalgic work that captures a vision of the canals of Venice, it was a specialty of James Salt to complete these "capriccio" landscapes where the scene mixed both real and entirely imagined elements of Venice to make a particularly dreamy effect.
Executed in oil on canvas, the scene depicts a fork in the canal where the large central stone buildings feature most prominently with exotic foliage crawling over the ancient stone and the constrained gardens are in full bloom. The canal is bustling with activity as boaters row and gondoliers navigate the gently rippling water.
It is such a warm scene and succeeds in showering the viewer with an overwhelming sense of wanderlust. Typical of Salt's paintings, the brushwork is intricate and his handling of complexity is most admirable. A full spectrum of colors are layered chaotically to capture the range of texture found in his buildings and the vivid reflections diffused in the water. On full display is his ability to work with atmosphere to create romance; as a mist rises off of the water, the bokeh effect is exaggerated against the distant buildings and boaters.
Measurements: 34 3/8" H x 40 1/2" W x 3 3/8" D [frame]; 28" H x 34" W
Condition Report:
Original lining; professionally cleaned and conserved. Under UV examination reveals two spots of inpainting approx. 1" x 1" lower-right corner quadrant above signature, a small horizontal spot of inpainting 1" x 1/4" lower-center quadrant, a vertical spot of inpainting 3" x 3/4" lower-left corner quadrant and lower-left above the gondola 1 1/2" x 1" including the head of the rower. Period frame in overall good condition with minor shrinkage cracks.