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Abundance
Francesco Guardi·c. 1753
Historical Context
This allegory of Abundance by Francesco Guardi, at the Walker Art Gallery, belongs to his less well-known decorative work in the tradition of Venetian ceiling and wall painting. Before becoming primarily a view painter, Guardi worked with his brother Gianantonio on figure paintings and decorations. Guardi worked in oil on canvas using a notably free and rapid technique, building atmospheric effects through broken strokes of silvery grey, warm ochre, and cool blue-green that seem to dissolve i...
Technical Analysis
The allegorical figure is rendered with Guardi's characteristic quick, fluid brushwork. The decorative composition shows his early training in the Venetian tradition of large-scale figure painting.
Look Closer
- ◆Notice the allegorical figure rendered with Guardi's characteristic quick, fluid brushwork: the decorative Abundance shows the figure-painting skills Guardi developed before becoming a vedutista.
- ◆Look at the warm Rococo tones characteristic of Venetian decorative painting: the Walker Art Gallery's Abundance uses a palette of warm pinks and golden tones that differ from the cool silvers of his lagoon paintings.
- ◆Find the allegorical attributes that identify the figure as Abundance: fruit, cornucopia, or other symbols of harvest and plenty.
- ◆Observe that this Walker Art Gallery work reveals Guardi's range beyond Venice views — the decorative allegory tradition that shaped his early career continued to surface in occasional later commissions.
