Venice, San Giorgio Maggiore

In this intimately scaled Venetian view by Francesco Guardi, the artist centers his focus on the island of San Giorgio Maggiore, without including the Punta della Giudecca at right. Two similarly small-scale treatments of this view – from the same viewpoint but with variations in the vessels and figures – are included in Dario Succi’s 2021 catalogue raisonné (see D. Succi, Guardi, II, Milan, 2021, pp. 100-101, nos. 132 and 133, illustrated). One, which sold at Christie’s London, 21 April 1989, lot 97, measures 4 ¾ x 7 ½ in. (12 x 19 cm.), while the other, which sold at Christie’s London, 5 July 1991, lot 217, measures 7 5⁄8 x 10 3⁄8 in. (18.6 x 26.3 cm.), and both are dated by Succi to around 1790.