Rio de Santa Maria Formosa 1905

John Singer Sargent captured this view of the Rio de Santa Maria Formosa using watercolors, a medium notable for its fluidity and spontaneity. Sargent's choice wasn't just about ease; watercolor allowed him to quickly capture the light and atmosphere of Venice, a city undergoing rapid change as tourism boomed. The loose washes and translucent layers of pigment evoke the shimmering water and weathered facades, reflecting the city’s blend of beauty and decay. You see the gondola as a dark mass, almost swallowed by the shadows, suggesting the labor behind the city’s romantic image. By choosing watercolor, traditionally seen as a more 'casual' medium, Sargent challenged the hierarchy between serious oil painting and what was then considered a more amateur pursuit. He elevates the everyday, prompting us to consider the beauty and labor intertwined in Venice’s iconic waterways.