By Félix Ziem
Located in Marlow, Buckinghamshire
Oil on board circa 1880 by Felix Ziem depicting a gondola in Venice as the moonlight from the night's sky reflects on the water. Signed lower right. Accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity from L'Association Felix Ziem - David Pluskwa / Matthias Ary Jan.
Félix Ziem's father was a Croat who settled in Bourgogne in 1814, and his mother was from the same region. He studied at the École d'Architecture et des Beaux-Arts in Dijon, which had been founded and was run by the painter Anatole Devosge, a pupil of David. He received a second prize in drawing and architecture in 1839. In 1841, after a long journey on foot, he settled in Nice, where he began to receive commissions from the city's bourgeoisie. From 1842, he travelled in Italy, visiting Rome, before discovering Venice, which became his second home. Between 1845 to 1892 he visited Venice regularly, often for several months in the year; he worked from his boat, which served as his studio as well as his living quarters.
Ziem was a complete painter, at ease in portraits, still-lifes, flower painting and genre scenes, of both history and contemporary subjects. Nevertheless, he is most known for his landscapes. His body of work includes numerous watercolours. In his drawings, and especially in his travel journals, while showing his taste by his selection and composition of subjects, he left a precious testament of his times. After Guardi and Canaletto, he affirmed a new vision of Venice...
Category
19th Century Impressionist Board Photography