Zwei Segelboote auf stürmischer See c. 1780 - 1790

Curator: Let’s take a closer look at "Two Sailboats in a Stormy Sea," an ink and watercolor drawing by Francesco Guardi, dating back to somewhere between 1780 and 1790. It’s part of the Städel Museum's collection. Editor: My gut reaction is...churn. It's all swirling lines and muted tones. Like the memory of a storm, not the actual event itself. Kinda melancholy. Curator: Guardi, though working within the traditions of Venetian vedute, was far more interested in capturing atmosphere and feeling than precise architectural detail. Notice how the brushwork almost dissolves the forms, especially the ships, into the tempestuous sea and sky. Editor: Exactly! They’re less like defined objects and more like ghosts of ships, swallowed by the sea’s drama. And that monochrome palette amplifies that feeling of something lost, or perhaps fading away? Like maritime empires dissolving. Curator: Perhaps, though it also plays into a broader theme of the sublime, very much in vogue during that time. The artwork is a Romantic vision of nature’s overwhelming power – the boats look so fragile against the might of the waves. You find a certain… safety in the fear. Editor: I see that, definitely, though personally, it taps into my slightly morbid fascination with disaster. But, thinking more about the symbolic weight of it all, the boats could easily be stand-ins for individuals struggling against life's unpredictable storms. Curator: A potent interpretation, especially considering the context. Venice, though still beautiful, was definitely losing power and prestige at this time. Guardi was likely making implicit metaphors, as all artists must. Editor: Making me want to go light a candle for old Venice. Still, that blurring and almost impressionistic handling – it makes Guardi feel almost… modern, even now. What else remains to be discovered with Two Sailboats in a Stormy Sea? Curator: Maybe, after all, Venice persists most powerfully in visions like these; captured in ink and time.