Be Inspired - Venetian Views

For architects, painters, engineers, and sculptors alike, Venice is intrinsically tied to art. Whether they were born there, studied there, inspired there, or worked there, many artists started a career, grew it or ended it in Venice. As the first European port on the trading route from the East, Venetian artists had the first pick of materials imported in and as a major trading port there was plenty of opportunity to export art out; with plenty of wealthy patrons benefitting from trade, Venetian artists could have flourishing careers. These reasons, as well as the Venice Biennale, a prestigious art exhibition that began in 1859 and happens every other year, have made Venice an enduring hub for art, artists and artistry in general. 

The Floating City had the kind of isolation that allowed it to foster and grow its own unique style both in paintings and architecture, the iconic views of which pulled back artists through a variety of eras and artistic movements. Whether Canaletto of the Venetian School or British Romanticist JMW Turner, French Impressionist Monet or John Singer Sargeant’s American Renaissance art, Venice has inspired artists from all over the globe. From Signac’s pointillism to more modern photography to expressive sketches, whether the light, the water or the gorgeous architecture of the Rialto, St Mark’s Square, or the Basilica, the incomparable lagoon has been inspiring artists for generations gone and for generations still to come.