Santa Maria della Salute, Venice, Italy

Medium: Watercolour

Provenance: Signed

Image Dimensions: 10" x 7" (25.4cm x 17.78cm)

Price: £1,100.00

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This exquisite watercolour by Richard Henry Wright (1857–1930) captures a luminous, ethereal view of the Santa Maria della Salute in Venice. Wright, a celebrated member of the Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours, was renowned for his ability to translate the transient effects of light and atmosphere onto paper, a skill that is on full display in this masterful composition.

The painting is defined by a delicate, high-key palette that perfectly evokes the hazy, shimmering quality of the Venetian lagoon. Wright employs a sophisticated wet-on-wet technique to blend the sky and water, creating a seamless sense of space and depth. The iconic domes of the Salute rise like a pale specter from the waterline, anchored by the vibrant, gestural strokes of the red and ochre sails in the foreground.

Wright’s hallmark is his economy of line; he provides enough architectural detail to ground the scene while allowing the viewer’s eye to wander through the misty, impressionistic horizon. This work is a superb example of the late-Victorian and Edwardian fascination with the “Grand Tour” aesthetic, offering a timeless and tranquil vision of one of the world’s most painted cities. It would make a sophisticated addition to any collection of fine British watercolours.