A Bridge In Venice 1899

Maurice Prendergast painted this watercolor, A Bridge in Venice, sometime in the early 20th century, and it’s a beautiful example of his interest in everyday urban life. Prendergast was one of the few American artists at the time interested in modern European painting, but he was unique in his focus on the life of ordinary people. We see people from all walks of life congregating on the bridge, a site of connection and exchange in the city. The Italian flag flies high, a symbol of national pride. You might consider how this reflects the politics of his time, with the rise of nationalism in Europe and the United States. As art historians, we can dig deeper to understand Prendergast's vision and how it reflects the values and beliefs of his time. By looking at sources, such as letters, journals, and exhibition reviews, we can piece together a more complete picture of the artist and the world he lived in. In so doing we recognize that even a seemingly straightforward watercolor painting can be interpreted as an artifact of social and institutional history.