Gondolas and Venetian Palace c. 1880

Robert Frederick Blum created this etching, “Gondolas and Venetian Palace,” capturing a scene in Venice. The image presents gondolas floating on the water in front of a Venetian palace. Blum was an American artist, part of a wave of painters who traveled to Europe in the late 19th century. Artists were attracted to Venice for its unique cultural history and picturesque scenery, yet these artists weren't neutral observers. Venice existed then as a site saturated with meaning. The palaces and gondolas, already burdened by centuries of aristocratic history, were being refashioned as commodities for a growing tourist industry. Consider the way that Venice and its palaces had become institutions with the power to shape the reception of art. As historians, we can investigate how artists are shaped by institutions, or how they challenge existing norms. Research into the cultural history of Venice helps us understand the role it played in shaping the work of American artists like Blum.