A Man, Perhaps a Gondolier, Seen from Behind

Carlevarijs's rear-view study of a man, possibly a gondolier, documents one of Venice's most important working-class occupations. Gondoliers were among the most numerous workers in the Republic, and their distinctive costume — white shirt, red sash, straw hat — gave them immediate visual recognizability in crowd scenes. The rear view was particularly useful for placing gondoliers in the prows of boats in his vedute, where the figure's back to the viewer was the natural pose of a man working an oar. Carlevarijs's attention to working-class figures alongside aristocratic ladies and masked gentlemen reflects his comprehensive approach to documenting the full social spectrum of Venetian life.

The figure's broad back and stance are captured with confident, economical brushwork. The working costume is rendered in earth tones and muted colors appropriate to the figure's social station, contrasting with the more colorful patrician studies.