The Storm (a tribute to Guardi)

I created "The Storm (A Tribute to Guardi)" as an homage to the Venetian master Francesco Guardi. This piece is an enlarged and reimagined reproduction of Guardi's "Veduta di Venezia con il Canale della Giudecca e la Chiesa delle Zitelle," based on a small black-and-white postcard. I did not know if Guardi painted this veduta in colors at that time, but the concept of using a postcard to evoque the concept of memory and interpretation attracted me. While it faithfully preserves the original composition—depicting the iconic buildings, bustling canals, gondolas, and figures of Venice—it introduces a dramatic new atmosphere through the use of color and light.

While Guardi’s works often celebrate the luminous, golden light of Venice, this painting shifts toward a darker, more dramatic atmosphere. I used a palette dominated by muted tones of grays, browns, and soft blues, to evoke a sense of brooding weather and the impending storm suggested by the title. The sky, is a key element in this rendition, and unlike the clear or serene skies often found in traditional Venetian vedute, this version features swirling, tempestuous clouds that cast a diffused, ominous light over the entire scene.

The composition remains true to Guardi’s original, maintaining the balance and rhythm between the architectural forms and the lively activity on the canal as a symbol of nature’s dominance over even the most enduring human creations.