The Church and Convent of San Mattia di Murano

Art Historical Context

Giacomo Guardi, son of the renowned Venetian vedutista Francesco Guardi, crafted this delicate drawing around 1804–28, capturing the picturesque Church and Convent of Mattia di Murano Nestled on the island of Murano—famed for its centuries-old glassmaking tradition—this architectural complex overlooks serene canals bustling with boats, evoking the timeless charm of Venetian life. Guardi's work belongs to the Guardi family's legacy of luminous cityscapes, bridging the grand vedute of Canaletto with a more intimate, atmospheric touch during Venice's Napoleonic era and early 19th-century decline. Executed in pen and brown ink with gray wash on a modest 4 15/16 x 8 5/16 in. sheet, the piece showcases Guardi's mastery of line and subtle shading to convey depth and light. The gray wash adds a soft, misty quality, mimicking Venice's lagoon haze and enhancing the scene's poetic realism. Such preparatory drawings were vital for Guardi's oil paintings, blending precision with evocative mood. Now in the Robert Lehman Collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art (1975 acquisition), this work offers visitors a window into everyday Venetian waterways—canals alive with gondolas and daily commerce—reminding us of Murano's enduring cultural allure amid shifting histories.

About the Artist

Giacomo Guardi · 1764–1835

Giacomo Guardi (1764–1835) was a Venetian painter who worked in the long shadow of his celebrated father, Francesco Guardi, one of the greatest vedutisti — view painters — of the eighteenth century. Born into one of Venice's most prominent artistic families, Giacomo received his training directly from his father, absorbing both the technical methods and the characteristic style that had made Franc...