Emile Morlon Beautiful Painting Of A View Of Venice, A Lively Seascape Featuring A Boat, 19th-century Veduta

Antony Paul Émile Morlon (1834–1913) – Venice, St. Mark’s Basin – 19th-century oil on canvas

A beautiful view of bustling Venice, set in St. Mark’s Basin, with St. Mark’s Campanile and the buildings of the Piazzetta in the background, and the silhouette of Santa Maria della Salute visible in the distance on the left.

A beautiful composition dominated by a large, dark two-masted sailing ship, whose mass contrasts sharply with the turquoise waters and the pearl-gray sky. The foreground captures all the picturesque charm of the scene: gondolas, small boats, numerous birds perched on the quay, and a figure reclining at the water’s edge. The artist thus balances the monumentality of the ship with a vivid depiction of everyday Venetian life. The sky, rendered largely in cool, silvery tones, creates a luminous and slightly misty atmosphere.

A native of Sully-sur-Loire, Antony Paul Émile Morlon, a French painter of genre scenes, portraits, and above all seascapes, exhibited regularly at the Salon in the second half of the 19th century and frequently depicted views of Venice and the lagoon.

Oil on its original canvas, bearing on the reverse the stamp of the Parisian art dealer Blanchet, 20 rue Saint-Benoît. Signed lower right: A. Morlon. Later gilded frame. Small mark from the stretcher on the left edge; canvas in good condition.

Canvas dimensions: 50 × 31.5 cm.
Dimensions with frame: 58 × 40 cm.