Canal Grande i Venedig med S. Simeone Piccolo 1712 - 1848

Gaetano Vetturali, painted this scene of the Canal Grande in Venice, including S. Simeone Piccolo, sometime during the 1700s, using oil on canvas. Vetturali created this artwork at a time when Venice was a hub of cultural exchange and artistic innovation, yet also a society marked by rigid social hierarchies. Notice how Vetturali’s painting shows the bustling activity of the canal, with gondolas and figures populating the scene. It gives us a glimpse into the daily lives of Venetians from different social strata. Consider the labor of those navigating the boats and the experience of people being transported, and the architecture which served as a backdrop. How does Vetturali’s representation engage with or depart from traditional depictions of Venice? This artwork invites us to reflect on the relationship between individual experience and collective identity, and how urban environments shape our perceptions of self and society.