Unknown, Miniature from the Commission to Daniel, Podesta of Treviso, late 16th century, Gouache and gold paint on vellum. sheet: 10 7/16 in. x 8 3/16 in. (26.5 cm x 20.8 cm) Gift of Dr. and Mrs. Malcolm W. Bick (Esther Sagalyn, Class of 1935) 1972.8
Figment of the Past: Venetian Works on Paper from the Davis
February 5 – May 4, 2014

With its aqueous alleys and enchanted archways, Venice has welcomed and hosted countless foreign travelers as well as served as a hub of international commerce for centuries. In the eighteenth century, at the height of the Grand Tour, Italian artists found new ways to depict their city and appeal to an ever-burgeoning clientele of art collectors, connoisseurs, and tourists. Drawn from the Davis’s rich holdings, this exhibition will present over two dozen early modern Venetian works on paper that reflect this fascination with Venetian topography in addition to a range of other subjects inspired by this extraordinary city. This exhibition will feature works by Palma il Giovane, Canaletto and Tiepolo, among other artists, which will enchant the viewer.

Curated by Eve Straussman-Pflanzer, Senior Curator of Collections, with generous support from the Marjorie Schechter Bronfman '38 and Gerald Bronfman Endowment for Works on Paper.

Tiepolo, Giovanni Domenico, La Sacra famiglia esce dalla porta di una città (The Holy Family Leaving by a City Gate), from the series "Idee pittoresche sopra la Fuga in Egitto" (Picturesque Ideas on the Flight into Egypt), published 1753, Etching. sheet: 7 3/16 in. x 9 1/2 in. (18.3 cm x 24.1 cm)

Read the Italian (Venetian) Book of 38 Sketches, 18th Century here.