S.S. Apostoli, Venice 1911

Editor: This is "S.S. Apostoli, Venice," an etching from 1911 by Francis Sydney Unwin. I'm struck by how detailed the lines are, especially considering it's a print. The whole scene has this almost dreamlike quality. What do you see in this work? Curator: Well, immediately the composition is noteworthy. Notice how Unwin employs a rather high vantage point, which flattens the pictorial space. The bell tower acts as a strong vertical counterpoint to the horizontal emphasis of the canal and buildings. Do you see how the textures of the building facades contrast against the comparatively untouched expanses of the sky and water? Editor: I do now! The lines are much denser and more varied in the architectural details. It almost feels unbalanced – there's so much to look at in the lower half. Curator: Perhaps. However, consider how the artist uses light and shadow. It's subtle but the varying darkness modulates the overall feeling. How do you feel the buildings on the left balance with the darker shapes on the right? Also the formal and informal are intertwined here. There's the formality of the architectural structures against the loose handling of the water and the figures along the canal. What effect do you think that has? Editor: I think it suggests everyday life coexisting with this grand, historical architecture. It's a contrast, like controlled versus uncontrolled, which is pretty powerful. Curator: Indeed. There is something almost poetic about the sharp contrasts, how those hard lines contribute to this vivid feeling. I appreciate how this Venetian scene can highlight how form conveys such a depth of historical feeling. Editor: This close look at composition really reframed how I saw the image. It is much more than just the scene portrayed! Curator: It's always amazing to discover how line, shadow and shape can give depth to how one percieves.