Rialto
Artist
Donald Shaw MacLaughlan
(American, 1876 - 1938)
Date1926
MediumEtching on paper
DimensionsOverall: 9 13/16 × 13 1/2 inches (24.94 × 34.29 cm)
Framed: 17 × 22 1/4 inches (43.18 × 56.52 cm)
Framed: 17 × 22 1/4 inches (43.18 × 56.52 cm)
Credit LineBequest of Frances M. Logan
Object number53-51/94
On View
Not on viewCollections
Gallery LabelThe Rialto Bridge, built between 1588 and 1591, was the only structure to span Venice's Grand Canal for more than 250 years. Its unique design includes a pedestrian aisle lined with shops and two elaborate outer walkways offering spectacular views of the canal. Rather than selecting a more conventional vantage point from which to describe the Rialto, Donald Shaw MacLaughlan chose an unorthodox perspective from below. This allowed him to highlight both the bridge and those who labor in its shadow. Unlike Louis Conrad Rosenberg's Piazza di Spagna, Rome, MacLaughlan equally emphasized architecture and people. This may be due to the fact that he experienced the Italian city as a nearby resident rather than visiting it as a tourist.
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