Ponte del Piovan

As Venice is built on a series islands connected by hundreds of bridges and thousands of alleys, the only ways to move through the city are by boat or on foot. Whistler etched the Ponte del Piovan in a gondola, capturing not only the people crossing this neighborhood bridge but also a water-level view of the buildings beyond. Under the brilliant sun of the sea, Whistler's lines often broke down into sketches, dots, and dashes that suggest shapes rather than define them. In the busy Piazetta, people rest at the base of the thick column that supports a statue of Saint Theodore, the city's original patron saint. From this pedestrian perspective, the column, along with the barest indications of the Libraria Marciana (the Library) and the towering Campanile on the far right, dissolve into languid clouds. Beyond the column are the famous clock tower and the façade of San Marco.