Venice, Grand Canal 1903

Thomas Moran painted Venice’s Grand Canal, probably in oil on canvas, with an amazing lightness of touch. The whole scene seems bathed in a soft, diffused light, and you can feel the artist working quickly, capturing a fleeting impression. Look closely, and you'll see how he uses color to build up form – thin washes of blues, pinks, and yellows suggesting the buildings, boats and figures. It’s almost like he’s painting with light itself. There is a real feeling of movement in the water, the sky, and the boats bobbing around in the canal, using the paint in a way that is both precise and loose. Moran reminds me a lot of J.M.W. Turner. Both artists were interested in the effects of light and atmosphere. But where Turner's paintings can be quite dramatic and turbulent, Moran's work has a more gentle, lyrical quality. It’s as if he’s inviting us to take a moment to appreciate the beauty and tranquility of Venice.