Rialto 1895

Frits Thaulow’s “Rialto” is an evocation of Venice painted with oils on canvas. The choice of oil paint offers Thaulow an opportunity to explore the play of light on the water, as the viscous medium is capable of capturing subtle variations in tone. The texture of the paint itself, applied in visible brushstrokes, enlivens the surface. This approach is rooted in the tradition of landscape painting, which elevated the observation of nature to a high art. Yet there is also a social dimension here. The very act of painting en plein air – directly in front of the subject – suggests a democratizing impulse, bringing the artist into direct contact with the everyday world. In this case, the world of labor on the Venetian canals. The material and making of this painting serve not only aesthetic ends but also document a specific time, place, and way of life, blurring the boundaries between fine art and social observation.