Venice 1834

Curator: This delicate wash drawing is titled "Venice," created by Lady Susan Elizabeth Percy. Editor: It has a melancholic, almost dreamlike quality. The muted blues and grays soften the architectural details, giving it a very romantic feel. Curator: Percy, who lived from 1782 to 1847, was part of a privileged class that often took artistic tours of Europe. Venice, of course, was a popular destination on the Grand Tour. Editor: The city itself held immense symbolic weight, representing both beauty and decay. In this rendering, I feel a sense of Venice clinging to past glories while facing inevitable decline. Curator: The sketch emphasizes the architectural grandeur, but also the small figures. The inclusion of people hints at the ongoing human element within that larger narrative of decline. Editor: It makes me wonder, what did Venice mean to Lady Percy? What personal narrative did she inscribe within its famous canals and palazzi? Curator: Perhaps it reflected her own changing world, the aristocracy facing shifts in power. Editor: It definitely gives us a glimpse into a bygone era and a fresh interpretation of a famous city.