To begin, perhaps we should ask why of all the revered cities in the world, Sargent chose to depict Venice the most. Though he was one of the foremost American Impressionists, John Singer Sargent was ironically born in Italy and grew up traveling around Europe. Sargent could speak fluent Italian, which allowed him to navigate Venice as a local, and this provided him an invaluable perspective compared to other non-Italian speaking artists, who also flocked to the city. Familiar with the city and its language, this gave him the credibility to depict Venice as a local. However, to understand why Sargent loved this city, Bruce Robertson describes Venice as “a city uniquely marked by its combination of glorious, romantic history and carnival, [and] of artistic masterpieces” (Robertson 12). Here, Robertson explains how Venice attracted Sargent because it had so much culture that he could attempt to capture in his works. The grand buildings of Venice had been untouched for centuries, and Sargent felt like he could be transported back in time to the height of Venice’s splendor just by looking at them. And perhaps this is why Sargent singly pointed out Venice when he spoke regrettably about leaving Italy to study in France in 1874: “‘I am sorry to leave Italy—that is to say, Venice…When I can paint, then away for Venice!’” (qtd Norwich 275). Sargent expressed a special affinity for Venice among the rest of Italy, and he desired to do justice to the city’s splendor in his works, justifying his need to leave. In addition to the qualities of the city that attracted hundreds of writers, artists, and tourists, Sargent had special ties to Venice that kept him coming back again and again.
Image of Santa Maria della Salute from Antonio Salvadori. Architect’s Guide to Venice. Butterworth Architecture, London. 1990.
