Imitator of Francesco Guardi, 'A Ruin Caprice', 19th century
About the work
Overview
An imaginary ruined castle or fortress, bathed in gentle sunlight, stands on a piece of land that juts into the water. A fishing boat is moored in a sheltered cove, and two figures – perhaps off fishing, as one holds a rod – walk past it along the water’s edge. A gentle breeze coming off the water catches and tilts the white sails of boats towards the horizon. You can sense the movement of the clouds, made up of thick white paint, which give way to an expanse of blue sky.
This imaginary scene and its companion, A Ruin Caprice, entered the National Gallery’s collection as the work of Guardi – the artist’s expressive brushstrokes and heavy-set lines certainly imitate Guardi’s style. Both are now thought to be by a nineteenth-century imitator.
Key facts
Details
- Full title
- A Ruin Caprice
- Artist
- Imitator of Francesco Guardi
- Artist dates
- 1712 - 1793
- Part of the series
- Two Caprices of Ancient Ruins
- Date made
- 19th century
- Medium and support
- oil on canvas
- Dimensions
- 13.4 × 19.4 cm
- Acquisition credit
- Bequeathed by Lady Lindsay, 1912
- Inventory number
- NG2904
- Location
- Not on display
- Collection
- Main Collection
Provenance
Additional information
Text extracted from the ‘Provenance’ section of the catalogue entry in Michael Levey, ‘National Gallery Catalogues: The Seventeenth and Eighteenth Century Italian Schools’, London 1986; for further information, see the full catalogue entry.
Bibliography
-
1956Levey, Michael, National Gallery Catalogues: The Eighteenth Century Italian Schools, London 1956
-
1986Levey, Michael, National Gallery Catalogues: The Seventeenth and Eighteenth Century Italian Schools, London 1986
-
2001
C. Baker and T. Henry, The National Gallery: Complete Illustrated Catalogue, London 2001
About this record
If you know more about this painting or have spotted an error, please contact us. Please note that exhibition histories are listed from 2009 onwards. Bibliographies may not be complete; more comprehensive information is available in the National Gallery Library.
Images
About the series: Two Caprices of Ancient Ruins
Overview
These two paintings, known as capricci, combine reality and fantasy: set in the Venetian lagoon, they show people, buildings and boats surrounded by invented ruins. The paintings were given to the National Gallery as genuine works by Guardi, but are now thought to be by a nineteenth-century imitator.
The varnish on both has become discoloured and the colours have darkened, Guardi’s stylistic influence is apparent in the thick paint that expresses cloud movement and the heavy outlines that define the landscape. Guardi painted numerous imaginary scenes inspired by his home city of Venice, where he lived and worked.
Works in the series
Related works
