“Gondoliers’ Siesta”
Ah, Venice.
This dreamy watercolor on paper painting, titled “Gondoliers’ Siesta,” is by the American artist, John Singer Sargent, from 1904. Though often thought of as a portrait artist, Sargent was much more than that.
This is one of several thousand watercolor paintings, sketches, and drawings that Sargent created while on his travels to Venice, Italy. In this piece, two gondoliers are resting in their boats during the heat of the day. They are taking a siesta from ferrying passengers across the canals of Venice. The warm tones and extreme contrasts give a sunny brilliance to the piece. This gives the viewer a sense of the bright Mediterranean sunshine on a hot day.
Sargent initially achieved fame and wealth for his commissioned portraits of upper-class society. In his forties, he started spending more time abroad in Spain and Italy in addition to his home in Paris, France. He was at the height of his career and was able to be more selective, producing noticeably fewer portraits. During this period, he started creating more landscapes, which often seem to be of a more personal nature. His watercolor paintings use looser brushstrokes to catch a glimpse of a moment.
“Gondoliers’ Siesta” is currently in a private collection.
For more on John Singer Sargent, please visit his short biography here.
You can find more artists to learn about here.
