Venice: Night of the Festival of the Redeemer
Medium
Watercolor over pencil on white wove paper
Dimensions
5 1/2 × 9 9/16 in. (14 × 24.3 cm) Framed: 16 1/4 in. × 21 1/4 in. × 1 in. (41.3 × 54 × 2.5 cm)
Classification
Drawings
Department
Robert Lehman Collection
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Robert Lehman Collection, 1975
Accession Number
1975.1.597
Tags
About this artwork
Venice: Night of the Festival of the Redeemer by Henri-Edmond Cross (Henri-Edmond Delacroix), 1903. Created in Watercolor over pencil on white wove paper, this work exemplifies the artistic practices and cultural values of its period. The piece reflects the technical skills and aesthetic sensibilities characteristic of its historical and cultural context. As part of the Robert Lehman Collection collection, it contributes to our understanding of artistic development and cultural expression. The w...
Art Historical Context
Henri-Edmond Cross, a leading French Neo-Impressionist captured the magic of Venice's annual Festival of the Redeemer in this delicate 1903 watercolor over pencil. Held every July since 1577 to celebrate the end of a devastating plague, the festival transforms the city's lagoon into a dazzling spectacle of fireworks, illuminated boats, and revelry. Cross, born Henri-Edmond Delacroix, Venice during this vibrant event, sketching the nighttime glow that reflects his shift toward luminous, atmospheric Divisionist techniques—inspired by Seurat and Signac—adapted to watercolor's fluidity. Rendered ...