The Storm (a Tribute to Guardi)

The Storm (A Tribute to Guardi) is a large oil-on-canvas painting measuring 100 x 70 cm, created as an homage to the Venetian master Francesco Guardi. This work is an enlarged and reimagined reproduction of Guardi's "Veduta di Venezia con il Canale della Giudecca e la Chiesa delle Zitelle," based on a small black-and-white postcard (seen as second picture here).

While it faithfully preserves the original composition—depicting the iconic buildings, bustling canals, gondolas, and figures of Venice—it introduces a dramatic new atmosphere through the use of color and light. The artist employs a palette dominated by muted tones of grays, browns, and soft blues, which evoke a sense of brooding weather and the impending storm suggested by the title.

The sky, a key element in this rendition, plays a crucial role in setting the mood. Unlike the clear or serene skies often found in traditional Venetian vedute, this version features swirling, tempestuous clouds that cast a diffused, ominous light over the entire scene. The clouds are masterfully painted with broad, sweeping brushstrokes, creating a sense of movement and unrest, as if the viewer is witnessing the very moment before the heavens open in a downpour.