Venice, View Of The Lagoon With Santa Maria Della Salute And Sailing Ships, Pierre Leconte (1894–1946)

Venice, view of the lagoon with Santa Maria della Salute and sailing ships - Pierre Leconte (1894–1946)

Watercolor on paper.
Signed lower left.
Dimensions of the artwork (unframed): 22 × 14 cm.
Presented in a modern gilded wood frame with mat and glass.

This delicate watercolor depicts a view of the Venetian lagoon dominated by the silhouette of the Basilica of Santa Maria della Salute. In the foreground, several sailboats and small vessels enliven the calm waters of the lagoon, while the reflections on the water and the clouds create a soft, slightly silvery atmosphere.

The work is by Pierre Leconte (Cherbourg, 1894–1946), a painter, watercolorist, illustrator, and historian of the French Navy. Drawn to the maritime world from an early age, he was appointed Official Painter of the Department of the Navy in 1924. Between 1921 and 1928, he participated in the famous scientific expeditions led by Commander Jean-Baptiste Charcot aboard the Pourquoi-Pas?, taking part in several campaigns in the Atlantic, the Mediterranean, and as far as Greenland.

In 1928, he also took part in the expedition organized by Charcot to search for the Latham 47 and the explorer Roald Amundsen, who had gone missing during his attempt to rescue Nobile’s expedition in the Arctic. A renowned naval historian, Pierre Leconte published in 1932 the monumental *Répertoire des navires de guerre français* (Directory of French Warships), an inventory of more than seven thousand vessels.

This dual role as an artist and specialist in maritime heritage lends particular interest to his depictions of ports, lagoons, and sailing ships, where a sensitive observation of the landscape is accompanied by a deep knowledge of the world of navigation.

The work is in good overall condition and presented in a modern frame