Boats in Chioggia, Venice by Félix-François Georges Ziem

Félix-François Georges Ziem
1821-1911 | French

Topi à Chioggia, Venise
(Boats in Chioggia, Venice)

Signed “Ziem” (lower left)
Oil on canvas

The city of Venice was a favorite subject of French artist Félix-François Georges Ziem. In this atmospheric composition, Ziem captures traditional boats at Chioggia, the historic fishing town south of Venice. The masterwork celebrates both the grandeur of the city's architecture and its everyday commerce, while serving as an exceptional study of light and color. Influenced by the ideals of the Barbizon School, Ziem employs brilliant contrasts of light and shadow to animate the composition and evoke the city's luminous atmosphere.

Ziem originally planned to become an architect until "disciplinary" problems caused him to lose his scholarship to the Académie d'architecture of Dijon in 1841. Upon his dismissal, he decided to embark on a journey to Rome on foot. It was during this time that his hobby of painting became his life's work. He executed hundreds of sketches of the lands he came across, often selling or trading them for food. No other city struck him as did Venice, with its network of waterways and outstanding architecture–he immediately fell in love.

Ziem's infatuation with the city would last throughout his career and would become the subject of his most desirable and striking paintings. Several of the artist's renditions of Venice appear in the permanent collections of some of the world's most prestigious museums, including the Louvre, the Musée d'Orsay, the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Art Institute of Chicago.

He would return to Venice again in 1845, this time spending three years sketching the city from nearly every possible angle. Ziem completed several paintings upon his return to France and submitted them to the 1849 Paris Salon with great success. He continued to exhibit at the Salon until 1868, then again from 1888 until his death. His work made him one of the most sought-after artists of his day, so much so that in 1864, he was honored to have Queen Victoria herself under his tutelage. In 1857, Ziem was made a Chevalier of the Legion of Honor, rising to the rank of Officer in 1878.

This work will be included in the forthcoming catalogue raisonné of Ziem’s work currently in preparation.

Late 19th/Early 20th century

Canvas: 26 1/4” high x 43 1/2” wide (66.7 x 110.5 cm)
Frame: 40” high x 56 3/4” wide x 4 3/4" deep (101.6 x 144.2 x 12.1 cm)

Provenance:
Private collection, Boston
Private collection, Miami
M.S. Rau, New Orleans