Description

At the age of 22, Bonington achieved overnight success at the official (state sponsored) Paris exhibition known as Salon. Two years later, in 1826, he journeyed to Venice, a city that had long attracted landscape artists. At first, constant rain greatly depressed Bonington, but suddenly the weather changed and Venice was at its glorious best. Bonington frequently painted outdoors, capturing immediate impressions of Venetian architecture and sunlight. He made this particular study from a boat anchored in the lagoon near the Doge's Palace. The thick swirls of paint, with colors mixed together while still wet, indicates how rapidly the artist worked.

Provenance

(Sotheby's London, United Kingdom, possibly Bonington Sale, June 29-30,1829, lot 215, sold to Glynn) . . . . (possibly 1829); (Sotheby's, London, United Kingdom, February 10, 1838, possibly Mrs. Bonington, the artist's mother, sale, lot 124, to Mawe, bought in). (possibly 1838); (Christie's, London, United Kingdom, possibly William Benoni sale, May 23, 1879, lot 86, sold to Permain. J. Hood (according to label on reverse). (possibly 1879); (Christie's, London, United Kingdom, April 28, 1888, possibly W.A. Turner of Manchester sale, lot 106, sold to Harari & Johns Ltd.) . (possibly 1888); (Harari & Johns Ltd., London, United Kingdom, sold to the Cleveland Museum of Art) (-1985); The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (1985-)