Venice 

Ivan Konstantinovich Aivazovsky painted “Venice” with oil paint, sometime during the 19th century. The painting depicts a vibrant Italian scene. Aivazovsky, of Armenian descent, was born in the Crimea and had a complicated relationship to his identity as a Russian artist. Trained in the European tradition of Romanticism, he is perhaps best known for his dramatic seascapes. In “Venice,” however, we see a different kind of drama, one playing out in the lives of the figures occupying the foreground of this painting. Here, the artist situates Venetian citizens on the docks, inviting viewers into the social and economic realities of 19th century life. The artist often incorporated personal narratives into his art, grounding grand historical events in the everyday experiences of the people affected by them. This painting reflects the emotional and personal dimensions of life in Venice.