Piazza San Marco 1898

Maurice Prendergast's *Piazza San Marco* is made with watercolor, a medium associated with immediacy and light. The fluid, translucent washes capture the bustling atmosphere of Venice, using a technique that allows for a sense of spontaneity and movement. Watercolor's quick-drying nature demands decisiveness, pushing Prendergast to work rapidly, layering colors to build depth and texture. Look closely and you can see the way he's used a dry brush to add texture, and the blurred edges between forms, rendering a scene full of vivacity. The social context of Venice as a tourist destination is evident in the subject matter, a snapshot of leisure and public life. It hints at the commodification of culture, where places become spectacles for consumption. The labor of the artist is also clear. Prendergast's expressive marks and choice of such ephemeral media remind us that art making is itself work, even when it depicts scenes of leisure. The deceptive ease of watercolor belies the skill and labor invested in its creation, challenging conventional ideas about fine art versus craft.