Venice, Nocturnal Festivities on the Via Eugenia

Description

"The present work can be dated to around 1839-1840. Caffi depicts the colourful celebrations underway in the street, with banners, natural and artificial lights, and nocturnal darkness. The light sources are varied: illuminated by the moonlight, the lagoon itself lights up the boats and the buildings, and is the dominant source of light. People gather around a fire which itself provides further illumination. Another is visible on the right-hand side of the composition. It is the poetic and mysterious quality that makes Via Eugenia one of Caffi’s most popular and celebrated works. In 1866 the street was renamed Via Garibaldi."