Piazetta St. Maggiore, Venice

The present work was executed in Brussels, almost certainly after 1864, when Franz Unterberger moved from Düsseldorf to Brussels, and the Venetian landscape had become the central focal point for his artistic output. Bathed in the sunlight of what appears to be a typically hot, Italian day, the figures in the foreground move around either engrossed in their daily duties or with gracious ease. The activity on the ship to the right hand side of the scene seems to stir in colouful detail against the grand and seductive view of the church of Santa Maria Maggiore bathed in the background haze. Captivating the viewers' attention and drawing us to the water-bound action on the sea, boats and gondolas move and anchor themselves in gentle activity. Once again we are spellbound by the unique beauty of Venice that Unterberger so skillfully portrays in this painting.