Guardi produced a large number of drawings, although the vast majority are not finished works but preliminary studies for paintings.
His drawings, like his paintings, have a broad range of subjects, including sketches for figures and studies for religious, mythological and historical scenes, as well as views of Venice and capricci.
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Although little is known of Guardi's early drawings while working under the guidance of his brother Gian Antonio in the family studio, the broken, angular lines, the rapid and nervous touch soon appeared, as did the contrasts between light and shade that characterise his later, mature drawings.
A stylistic transformation is apparent in his drawings (and his paintings) as they evolved from the precise style of his early years to the more atmospheric and luminous fluidity of his later drawings. While the early religious or merely decorative works were produced in the studio, those from the period when Canaletto's influence is evident were faithful images produced with great topographical accuracy in situ following detailed observation. When he reached his full artistic maturity, Guardi almost always returned to studio work. The dominant feature of his work from that period was his use of imagination and Venice's typical locations or idealised landscapes. The outlines in these drawings are not clear-cut but are instead transformed in the shimmering light reflected in the waters of the lagoon. Guardi used a highly imaginative, almost magical but also melancholy interpretation that captured the twilight of the Republic of Venice.
When Francesco died, in 1793, his son and close collaborator Giacomo owned thousands of drawings by his father, many of which were sold to Teodoro Correr (1750-1830) in 1829 and are now part of the collection of the Museo Correr in Venice.
Topics:
Capriccio
Francesco Guardi
Francesco Guardi's drawings
The Republic of Venice - From splendour to decline
Francesco Guardi's paintings in the Calouste Gulbenkian Collection