An Architectural Caprice
- Artist: Francesco Guardi
- Date: 1770-80
- Medium: oil on canvas
- Museum: The National Gallery
- Collection record: The National Gallery website
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About this artwork
An Architectural Caprice by Francesco Guardi. Painted in the late 18th century, this work showcases Guardi's characteristic style and attention to detail. The building on the left may be based on an unused design for Venice’s Rialto bridge by Andrea Palladio, a sixteenth-century architect. Guardi probably studied the design and has added a dome here.
As you look around the painting, you'll notice a collection of Ancient Greek and Roman architecture. From the domed building with a temple front to the classical arcade in the background, which curves round to end in the loggia on the right. Although it's difficult to judge the distances between the buildings, the staircase going down from the temple portico merges into shadow.
What stands out is the lively and energetic quality of this painting. The sharp yellow and white highlights suggest brilliant sunshine, giving a sense of movement and life to the scene.
See it in person
An Architectural Caprice hangs in The National Gallery on Trafalgar Square, London — free to enter. Point your phone at any artwork there and audioguide.london plays a free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
