View of Mazzorbo 1771 - 1797

Francesco Tironi created this wash and pen artwork, titled 'View of Mazzorbo', offering us a glimpse into eighteenth-century Venice. Born in Venice, Tironi, would have grown up amidst a society stratified by class and gender, where the elite controlled the city's political and economic levers. In this piece, Tironi skillfully captures the essence of daily life in the lagoon. We see gondolas ferrying passengers and goods, reflecting Venice's dependence on maritime trade. The detailed rendering of the architecture provides insight into the urban landscape and the social spaces within it. But beyond the picturesque scenery, consider the lives of the gondoliers, often from marginalized backgrounds, powering the city's transportation. Tironi’s depiction invites us to reflect on Venice as a site of both splendor and labor, where identities and livelihoods were shaped by the currents of history and commerce. The artwork is a tableau of a society in motion, its beauty intertwined with the untold stories of its people.