Gezicht op een kanaal in Venetië met een gondel before 1898

This anonymous print shows a canal in Venice with a gondola. It’s one of countless images of Venice produced and consumed by tourists. The artist uses an elevated perspective, reminiscent of Canaletto's paintings, to create a picturesque view of the city. It is important to remember that while Venice is a real place it is also a site of fantasy. The city has historically been figured as a place of exoticism, excess, and mystery. Here, the artist provides a view that is absent of the daily labor that actually sustains this fantastical image. The gondola driver is one of the few visible figures. Who are they? What is their lived experience? Consider how the consumption of images like these contributes to the ongoing mythologizing of places and people, often obscuring the complex realities of life for those who call these places home. Despite this, the beauty of the city and its waterways cannot be denied.