Technique

Otto Bacher described Whistler as studying the scene at night, and painting it back in his rooms:

'Night after night he watched the gondolas pass, singly and in groups, with lanterns waving in the darkness, without making a stroke with brush or pen. Then he would return to his rooms and paint the scene, or as much as he could remember, going again and again to refresh some particular impression. The canvas was a wonderful record.' 1

Conservation History

Unknown.

Frame

Unknown.