The Bridge, Venice

In the spring of 1907, Marin joined relatives in Venice for six weeks. The well-known etchings of Whistler clearly haunted and inspired him during this sojourn. Whistler’s Venice subjects were among the most innovative and influential prints of the late 19th century, demonstrating how the reflection of light on a surface obscures and breaks down form. By omitting some architectural details and suggesting others with sketchy, spare systems of lines, Whistler had pioneered a shorthand for translating the effects of light, water, and atmosphere on vision. Marin eagerly digested this lesson.