Venice provided an escape from the pressures of London and Paris, and offered a more relaxed atmosphere for creative experimentation. What unites Sargent’s and Whistler’s Venetian work is an unforced intimacy, particularly in the genre scenes.
Every time I travel to Italy, I feel as though it is my first visit. Even when you think you really know the country, you can never anticipate what you will see.
Much of Piero’s life and travels are matters of quiet conjecture. In a sense, he was what might be called today an independent or an artist’s artist. His identity and the character of his art were not centered on the artistic and political pressures of Florence, Siena, and Rome.