An architectural capriccio with a campiello

According to Morassi, the present small capriccio is an exquisite example from the artist's maturity. He points particularly to the ephemeral aspects of light, contrasting the dramatic, dark shadow cast by the looming edifice at the far right with the sparkling, sunlit, Venetian palazzo just beyond. The lively figures as well as the architectural details have been rendered with a freedom and vibrancy of brushwork that was one of Guardi's most admired qualities. Given its small scale and capriccio subject matter, it is likely that this painting was intended for a domestic rather than foreign audience.

The present work is comparable in the use of light effects and strong diagonals to another composition by Guardi in the Puschkin Museum, Capriccio con Campiello e figure varie (see A. Morassi, op. cit., no. 766, illustrated fig. 699).