Francesco Guardi

Francesco Guardi was born in Venice in 1712 and became one of the last great painters of the Venetian veduta tradition. He came from a family of artists and initially worked in a more traditional decorative style. Over time, Guardi developed a freer and more expressive approach to painting city views. His works often depict Venice’s canals, squares, and ceremonies with a sense of movement and atmosphere.

Unlike the precise clarity of earlier vedutisti, Guardi favored loose brushwork and shimmering light. His paintings capture the fading grandeur of Venice with a poetic and sometimes melancholic tone. He often emphasized mood over architectural accuracy. Guardi’s work reflects the transition from late Baroque to early Romantic sensibilities. He died in 1793. Today, his paintings are admired for their expressive energy and evocative portrayal of Venice.