Gondoliers on a Venetian Canal

Son of the acclaimed painter Giovanni Battista Santoro, Rubens was a quick study and excellent student, learning swiftly the techniques of architectural, landscape, and waterscape paintings. Rubens attended the Accademia in Naples, but preferred to study outside and paint al fresco. Although Santoro experimented with other subject matter, the romantic atmosphere and rich palate of Venice remained his main focus for the duration of his life as a painter.

The vibrant blues and crisp whites in this painting of a Venetian gondolier are quintessential examples of Rubens understanding of color and perspective. The relaxed gondolier and pristine water captures the serenity of an afternoon on a Venetian canal, while the bright palate of the sky highlights the cities vivacious pulse.

Rubens' Venetian paintings proved immensely popular during his lifetime, and remain in constant demand today due to their recognizable appearance and aesthetic charm.