Della Fava, Venice
1907
Medium
etching in black on wove paper
Dimensions
plate: 23.7 x 17.4 cm (9 5/16 x 6 7/8 in.) sheet (irregular): 33.3 x 29.9 cm (13 1/8 x 11 3/4 in.)
Classification
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Gift of Norma B. Marin
Accession Number
2005.98.160
Art Historical Context
**Della Fava,** Created in 1907 by American artist John Marin, *Della Fava,* captures the enchanting canals and architecture of Venice during Marin's formative European travels from 1905 to 1909. As a pioneering modernist, Marin was experimenting with new ways to depict urban energy and light, drawing inspiration from the labyrinthine streets—likely referencing the historic Calle della Fava neighborhood. This early work reflects his growing fascination with dynamic cityscapes, a theme that would define his later watercolor masterpieces. Rendered as a black etching on wove paper (plate: 23.7...
About the Artist
John Marin
John Marin (1870-1953) was a pioneering American modernist known for his dynamic watercolors and oils of the Maine coast and New York City. A late bloomer who didn't commit to art until nearly 30, Marin developed a distinctive style combining European modernism with American subjects, capturing the energy of skyscrapers and the elemental power of the sea through fractured planes, vibrant color, an...