Woodboats and Dogana 

Childe Hassam created this evocative image of Venice, Woodboats and Dogana, using watercolor. The Dogana, or customs house, was the location where all goods entering or leaving Venice were inspected and taxed. In its heyday, the Venetian Republic controlled maritime trade, so it was a vital institution for managing imports and exports. Hassam was an American Impressionist who frequently painted landscapes. By painting the boats and the customs house, Hassam is referencing Venice’s rich trading history, but the choice of impressionistic style suggests that he is more concerned with aesthetic beauty than historical narrative. The Dogana is relegated to a mere background detail. Instead, Hassam foregrounds the colorful boats and their reflection in the water. To understand this artwork, the art historian might draw on economic archives from Venice, historical accounts of tourism, and biographies of Hassam to better understand the image’s cultural position. The meaning of art is always contingent on social and institutional context.