Edward Pritchett (active between 1828 and 1864), View of St. Mark's Square

Edward Pritchett (active between 1828 and 1864) View of St. Mark's Square Oil on canvas, 25x35.5 cm With frame, 38x47 cm   Information regarding the life of the British painter Edward Pritchett is particularly limited: in the writings of the time, he was aptly described as an "elusive" character. Despite the absolute scarcity of biographical news relating to the painter, we can say with certainty that he lived for more than three decades in Venice, creating valuable views of the city. The artist was particularly close to the circle of English painters active in Veneto and, more generally, in Northern Italy, around the mid-nineteenth century: these include John Wharlton, Bunney, James Holland, the Luke Fildes, Henry Woods, and, in a later generation, William Logsdail. In the painting in question, St. Mark's Square is enlivened by a series of sparkling figures, many of them in typical costume: this aspect recalls many of the works requested by travelers, who, already from the late eighteenth century, elected Venice as a privileged stop on their Grand Tour. The lagoon is represented with light hues and soothing colors, reminiscent of the works of Anglo-Saxon masters active in Veneto around the mid-19th century. This particular glimpse of St. Mark's Square, within which one can glimpse a segment of the opulent profile of the Doge's Palace, has attracted the attention of numerous artists throughout the 19th century: among these we remember masters such as Grubacs and Corot, who, in La Piazzetta, takes up this view.