View of Lake Como with Monte Leoni 1781

Francis Towne made this watercolor of Lake Como with Monte Leoni using traditional materials: paper, pigment, and water. The texture of the paper plays a vital role in this piece. Notice how the strokes of the brush delicately interact with the paper's surface, allowing the white of the paper to shine through, creating a luminous effect. Watercolor's transparency lets Towne build up layers of color, mimicking the atmospheric perspective of the mountains. It’s worth remembering that while Towne was on his Grand Tour, he was working at a time when artists were increasingly being pushed to demonstrate their skill, not just in the finished artwork, but in the virtuosity of their technique. The making of landscape views like this one was a business, geared towards the growing tourist industry in Europe. So, next time you see a watercolor, consider not just the image it portrays, but also the labor, the context, and the accumulated skill that went into its creation.